peaceandsecurity worldwide. Weappreciate hisefforts tomakethereportas factual aspossible. Theconvening ofthesixteenth special session oftheGeneral Assembly wasan historic occasion. Notonlydidweobtainthefullparticipation ofthe international community, butwewerealsosuccessful inadopting byconsensus the Declaration onAaartheid anditsDestructive Consequences, whichsentaclearand unambiguous signaltoPretoria oftheunified position oftheinternational community ontheurgentandcrucial needforanegotiated endtoapartheid. Weare encouraged bytheinitial stepstakenbythePretoria regime.toimprove the internal political atmosphere whichbeganwiththelong-awaited release fromprison ofMr.NelsonMandela andtheunbanning oftheAfrican National Congress ofSouth Africa (ANC),thePanAfricanist Congress ofAzania (PAC)andotherpolitical Iorganizations., Wewelcome thecontinuing discussions between theGovernment andtheANC.The first,heldinCapeTown,started theprocess ofnegotiations ~ith tJ~~ establishment ofaworking grouptoaddress theissueoftherel~ase ofpolitical prisoners andthegranting ofimmunity inrespect ofpolitical offences tothose Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryFMB/19 Al44/PV.98 82 (Mr.walker. Jamaica) insideandoutside ofSouthAfrica. Thosetalkswerefurther advanced more recently whenbothsidesreached agreement oncertain commitments iuthePretoria Minute, whichsignalsthatthewayisnowopentoproceed towards negotiations ona newconstitution. Jamaica certainly hopesthatthispositive trendwillbefurther enhanced. Whatwewouldultimately wishtoseeastheoutcome ofthenegotiations istheestablishment ofajust,democratic andnon-racial societyinSouthAfrica. ThePretoria Minutecommits theSouthAfrican Government toreviewing and repealing security legislation andtoreleasing several categories ofpolitical prisoners bytheendofApril1991.Certainly thesearewelcome announcements, but astheydonottakeimmediate effectweshouldvigilantly monitor thesituation to tryandensurethefullimplementation ofthoseprovisions. Thousands ofpolitical prisoners continue tolanguish inprisonbecause theydaredtochallenge asystem whichrestricted theirmovements andopportunities byvirtueofrace.Therelease ofpolitical prisoners anddetainees, oneofthemeasures required bythe Declaration forthecreation ofaclimate forfreepolitical activity, appears to beacontentious issueasrevealed intheSecretary-Generales report.Ittherefore remains tobeseenwhetherthismeasurewillbeimplemented withinthescheduled time-frame andinamannerwhichwillnotobstruct theprocess ofnegotiations • .Theannouncement bytheANCthatitwassuspending allarmed action~ with imme~iate effectmustbeviewedasademonstration ofthecommitment ofitsmembers toensureaspeedymovement towards theBbolition oftheAPartheid system, as I statedbyMr.Mandela inhismovingandhistoric addresstothespecial meeting of theSpecial Committee against Apartheid inthisHall. Thereported harshandrepressive tactics usedbytheSouthAfrican police against thoseengaged inanti-apartheid activities andtheunwillingness onthe partoftheGovernment totakefirmactionagainst policeindiscipline andtodeal withtheviolence inNatalandelsewhere inanimpartial fashion arecausesfor Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryFMB/l9 Al44/PV.98 83-85 (Mr.Walker. Jamaica) graveconcern. Theseissuesmustalsobetackled decisively beforeprogress towards creating aclimate conducive tonegotiations canbeachieved. AsIpointed outinthedebateatthesixteenth special session, basicracist institutions andlegislation remaininforceasgrimfeatures oftheapartheid system. Thesegregated parliament, theSeparate Amenities andGroupAreasActand thePopulation Registration Act,whichconstitute thepillars ofapartheid, serve toentrench racialdiscrimination andaretherefore attheveryheartofthe ongoingpolitical crisisinSouthAfrica. Unlessanduntilthepillars of~partheid areremoved, racialdiscrimination willcontinue todividethenationandthe majority ofitspeoplewillcontinue tobedeniedhumanrightsandsocialjustice. Turning specifically tothereportunderconsideration inwhichtheseconcerns arealsohighlighted, wenotethatofthemeasures required bytheDeclaration, onlythemeasure relating tothelifting ofthebanonpolitical parties and movements hasbeenimplemented infullthusfar,butthattheirfreedom toorganize
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement from a representative of Jamaica to the United Nations, discussing the situation in South Africa and the efforts to end apartheid. The main focus is on the political situation, the release of political prisoners, and the need for a just and democratic society. While there are mentions of the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences, there is no specific discussion of economic development, natural resources, or environmental issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International relations