Page 216 - The Arabian Gulf States_Neat

154 THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE ARABIAN GULF STATES
! accordance with Article 73 of the Charter. This resolution adopted a
flexible definition of ‘self-government’ which docs not exclude in­
dependence as an alternative. The list of some of the factors adopted
in this resolution included the following: (a) The attainment of in­
dependence. (b) The complete freedom of the people of the territory
to choose the form of government which they desire, (c) Political
: advancement of the population sufficient to enable them to decide
: upon the future destiny of the territory with due knowledge.1
United Kingdom's action

British criteria for the application of Chapter XI to non-self-governing
territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom is
; responsible
In practice, the United Kingdom has, as stated above, declined to
transmit information under Article 73(e) of the Charter in respect of
the Gulf Shaikhdoms.2 It should be recalled that when the United
:
Kingdom enumerated, in 1946, in accordance with resolution 9 (I)
and resolution 66 (I) of 1946, the non-self-governing territories under
her administration, no mention was made in the United Kingdom’s
list of the Shaikhdoms.3 Consequently, up to this date these Shaikh­
doms have never appeared on the lists of non-self-governing terri­
tories introduced by the British Government, whether for the purpose
of Article 73 of the Charter or for any other purpose of the United
Nations’ activities in relation to the problems of colonial or dependent
peoples. Moreover, when the United Kingdom submitted in 1946
her list to the United Nations on the non-self-governing territories
under her administration, no objections were made by Members to
the non-inclusion within that list of the Gulf Shaikhdoms.4
The United Kingdom’s action in not transmitting information to
the United Nations on the Shaikhdoms, in accordance with Article
1 U.N.G.A., Suppl. No. 17, p. 21.
- The specific reference to the Shaikhdoms is intended to exclude the Sultanate
of Muscat which, being an independent State, docs not come within the scope of
this discussion. The expression ‘the Shaikhdoms’, however, covers Kuwait prior
to 1961, the date of her full independence.
3 Sec above, pp. 152-3. The territories under British administration which
were enumerated in 1946, included all British colonies, African Protectorates
(including Zanzibar). In later years the British protected States of Malay were
added. See NSGT, year 1946 (1947), Appendix IV; Y.U.N. (1946-7), p. 571.
4 It is to be recalled that when administering Powers presented their lists ot
territories under their administration to the United Nations, these lists were
accepted as a basis for future specification by administering Powers of territories
under their control. See NSGT, year 1946, op. cit., Appendix IV. See also UNCIO,
vnl 10 pp. 434, 446. There, the Chairman ruled that the obligation on the
part of administering Powers was to refer specifically to ‘individual territories
under their administration.