Resolution 253 (1968) of 29 May 1968
The Security Council,
Recalling and reaffirming its resolutions 216 (1965) of 12 November 1965, 217 (1965) of 20 November 1965, 221
(1966) of 9 April 1966, and 232 (1966) of 16 December 1966,
Taking note of resolution 2262 (XXII) adopted by the General Assembly on 3 November 1967,
Noting with great concern that the measures taken so far have failed to bring the rebellion in Southern
Rhodesia to an end,
Reaffirming that, to the extent not superseded in this resolution, the measures provided for in resolutions 217
(1965) of 20 November 1965 and 232 (1966) of 16 December 1966, as well as those initiated by Member States in
implementation of those resolutions, shall continue in effect,
Gravely concerned that the measures taken by the Security Council have not been complied with by all States
and that some States, contrary to resolution 232
(1966) of the Security Council and to their obligations under Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations,
have failed to prevent trade with the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia,
Condemning the recent inhuman executions carried out by the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia which have
flagrantly affronted the conscience of mankind and have been universally condemned,
Affirming the primary responsibility of the Govern-men of the United Kingdom to enable the people of Southern
Rhodesia to achieve self-determination and independence, and in particular their responsibility for dealing
with the prevailing situation,
Recognising the legitimacy of the struggle of the people of Southern Rhodesia to secure the enjoyment of their
rights as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in conformity with the objectives of General
Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,
Reaffirming its determination that the present situation in Southern Rhodesia constitutes a threat to
international peace and security,
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Condemns all measures of political repression, including arrests, detentions, trials and executions which
violate fundamental freedoms and rights of the people of Southern Rhodesia, and calls upon the Government of
the United Kingdom to take all possible measures to put an end to such actions;
2. Calls upon the United Kingdom as the administering Power in the discharge of its responsibility to take
urgently all effective measures to bring to an end the rebellion in Southern Rhodesia, and enable the people
to secure the enjoyment of their rights as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in conformity
with the objectives of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);
3. Decides that, in furtherance of the objective of ending the rebellion, all States Members of the United
Nations shall prevent:
(a) The import into their territories of all commodities and products originating in Southern Rhodesia and
exported therefrom after the date of this resolution (whether or not the commodities or products are for
consumption or processing in their territories, whether or not they are imported in bond and whether or not any
special legal status with respect to the import of goods is enjoyed by the port or other place where they are
imported or stored);
(b) Any activities by their nationals or in their territories which would promote or are calculated to promote
the export of any commodities or products from Southern Rhodesia; and any dealings by their nationals or in
their territories in any commodities or products originating in Southern Rhodesia and exported therefrom after
the date of this resolution, including in particular any transfer of funds to Southern Rhodesia for the
purposes of such activities or dealings;
(r) The shipment in vessels or aircraft of their registration or under charter to their nationals, or the
carriage (whether or not in bond) by land transport facilities across their territories of any commodities or
products originating in Southern Rhodesia and exported therefrom after the date of this resolution;
(d) The sale or supply by their nationals or from their territories of any commodities or products (whether or
not originating in their territories, but not including supplies intended strictly for medical purposes,
educational equipment and material for use in schools and other educational institutions, publications, news
material and, in special humanitarian circumstances, food-stuffs) to any person or body in Southern Rhodesia
or to any other person or body for the purposes of any business carried on in or operated from Southern
Rhodesia, and any activities by their nationals or in their territories which promote or are calculated to
promote such sale or supply;
(e) The shipment in vessels or aircraft of their registration, or under charter to their nationals, or the
carriage (whether or not in bond) by land transport facilities across their territories of any such commodities
or products which are consigned to any person or body in Southern Rhodesia, or to any other person or body
for the purposes of any business carried on in or operated from Southern Rhodesia;
4. Decides that all States Members of the United Nations shall not make available to the illegal regime in
Southern Rhodesia or to any commercial, industrial or public utility undertaking, including tourist enterprises,
in Southern Rhodesia any funds for investment or any other financial or economic resources and shall prevent
their nationals and any persons within their territories from making available to the regime or to any such
undertaking any such funds or resources and from remitting any other funds to persons or bodies within Southern
Rhodesia, except payments exclusively for pensions or for strictly medical, humanitarian or educational
purposes or for the provision of news material and in special humanitarian circumstances, foodstuffs ;
5. Decides that all States Members of the United Nations shall:
(a) Prevent the entry into their territories, save on exceptional humanitarian grounds, of any person
travelling on a Southern Rhodesian passport, regardless of its date of issue, or on a purported passport issued
by or on behalf of the illegal regime in Southern Rhodesia;
(b) Take all possible measures to prevent the entry into their territories of persons whom they have reason to
believe to be ordinarily resident in Southern Rhodesia and whom they have reason to believe to have furthered
or encouraged, or to be likely to further or encourage, the unlawful actions of the illegal regime in Southern
Rhodesia or any activities which are calculated to evade any measure decided upon in this resolution or
resolution 232 (1966) of 16 December 1966;
6. Decides that all States Members of the United Nations shall prevent airline companies constituted in their
territories and aircraft of their registration or under charter to their nationals from operating to or from
Southern Rhodesia and from linking up with any airline company constituted or aircraft registered in Southern
Rhodesia;
7. Decides that all States Members of the United Nations shall give effect to the decisions set out in operative
paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this resolution notwithstanding any contract entered into or licence granted before
the date of this resolution;
8. Calls upon all States Members of the United Nations or of the specialized agencies to take all possible
measures to prevent activities by their nationals and persons in their territories promoting, assisting or
encouraging emigration to Southern Rhodesia, with a view to stopping such emigration;
9. Requests all States Members of the United Nations or of the specialized agencies to take all possible further
action under Article 41 of the Charter to deal with the situation in Southern Rhodesia, not excluding any of
the measures provided in that Article;
10. Emphasizes the need for the withdrawal of all consular and trade representation in Southern Rhodesia, in
addition to the provisions of operative paragraph 6 of resolution 217 (1965);
11. Calls upon all States Members of the United Nations to carry out these decisions of the Security Council
in accordance with Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations and reminds them that failure or refusal
by any one of them to do so would constitute a violation of that Article;
12. Deplores the attitude of States that have not complied with their obligations under Article 25 of the
Charter, and censures in particular those States which have persisted in trading with the illegal regime in
defiance of the resolutions of the Security Council, and which have given active assistance to the regime;
13. Urges all States Members of the United Nations to render moral and material assistance to the people of
Southern Rhodesia in their struggle to achieve their freedom and independence;
14. Urges, having regard to the principles stated in Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, States
not Members of the United Nations to act in accordance with the provisions of the present resolution;
15. Requests States Members of the United Nations, the United Nations Organization, the specialized agencies,
and other international organizations in the United Nations system to extend assistance to Zambia as a matter
of priority with a view to helping it solve such special economic problems as it may be confronted with arising
from the carrying out of these decisions of the Security Council;
16. Calls upon all States Members of the United Nations, and in particular those with primary responsibility
under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, to assist effectively in the
implementation of the measures called for by the present resolution;
17. Considers that the United Kingdom as the administering Power should ensure that no settlement is reached
without taking into account the views of the people of Southern Rhodesia, and in particular the political
parties favouring majority rule, and that it is acceptable to the people of Southern Rhodesia as a whole;
18. Calls upon all States Members of the United Nations or of the specialized agencies to report to the
Secretary-General by 1 August 1968 on measures taken to implement the present resolution;
19. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the progress of the implementation of
this resolution, the first report to be made not later than 1 September 1968;
20. Decides to establish, in accordance with rule 28 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security
Council, a committee of the Security Council to undertake the following tasks and to report to it with its
observations:
(a) To examine such reports on the implementation of the present resolution as are submitted by the
Secretary-General;
(b) To seek from any States Members of the United Nations or of the specialized agencies such further
information regarding the trade of that State (including information regarding the commodities and products
exempted from the prohibition contained in operative paragraph 3 (d) above) or regarding any activities by
any nationals of that State or in its territories that may constitute an evasion of the measures decided upon
in this resolution as it may consider necessary for the proper discharge of its duty to report to the Security
Council;
21. Requests the United Kingdom, as the administering Power, to give maximum assistance to the committee, and
to provide the committee with any information which it may receive in order that the measures envisaged in
this resolution and resolution 232 (1966) may be rendered fully effective;
22. Calls upon all States Members of the United Nations, or of the specialized agencies, as well as the
specialized agencies themselves, to supply such further information as may be sought by the Committee in
pursuance of this resolution;
23. Decides to maintain this item on its agenda for further action as appropriate in the light of developments.
Adopted unanimously at the 1428th meeting.
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