Security Council resolution 571 (1985) [on South Africa's military activities against Angola]
Symbol: S/RES/571(1985)
Date: 1985-09-20
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/40 [16] ANGOLA--SOUTH AFRICA
Subjects: UN. SECURITY COUNCIL COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHED UNDER RESOLUTION 571 (1985) > ESTABLISHMENT.|MILITARY ACTIVITY|TROOP WITHDRAWAL|WAR DAMAGE COMPENSATION|COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY|ANGOLA|SOUTH AFRICA|ARMS EMBARGO|SOUTH AFRICA|INTERNATIONAL RELIEF|ANGOLA|FRONT-LINE STATES|NAMIBIA QUESTION|ESTABLISHMENT
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: BURKINA FASO
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: DENMARK
vote: yes
country: EGYPT
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: MADAGASCAR
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: THAILAND
vote: yes
country: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
vote: yes
country: UKRAINE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: USSR
vote: yes

Resolution 571 (1985)
of 20 September 1985

The Security Council,

Having considered the request by the Permanent
Representative of the People’s Republic of Angola to the
United Nations, contained in document S/17474,

Having heard the statement of the Permanent
Representative of Angola, 71

Recalling its resolutions 387 (1976), 428 (1978), 447
(1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980), 545 (1983), and 567
(1985), in which it, inter alia, condemned South Africa’s
aggression against’ the People’s Republic of Angola and
demanded that South Africa scrupulously respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Angola,

Gravely concerned at the further renewed escalation
of hostile, unprovoked and persistent acts of aggression
and sustained armed invasions committed by the racist
régime of South Africa, in violation of the sovereignty,
airspace and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic
of Angola,

Convinced that the intensity and timing of these acts
of armed invasions are intended to frustrate efforts at
negotiated settlements in southern Africa, particularly
in regard to the implementation of Security Council
resolutions 385 (1976) and 435 (1978),

Grieved at the tragic loss of human life, mainly that of
civilians, and concerned about the damage and destruction of property, including bridges and livestock, resulting from the escalated acts of aggression and armed
incursions by the racist régime of South Africa against
the People’s Republic of Angola,

Gravely concerned that these wanton acts of aggression by South Africa form a consistent and sustained
pattern of violations and are aimed at weakening the
unrelenting: support of front-line States for the
movements for freedom and national liberation of the
peoples of Namibia and South Africa,

Conscious of the need to take effective steps for the
prevention and removal of all threats to international
peace and security posed by South Africa’s military attacks,

1. Strongly condemns the racist régime of South
Africa for its premeditated, persistent and sustained
armed invasions of the People’s Republic of Angola,
which constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of that country, as well as a
serious threat to international peace and security;

2. Strongly condemns also South Africa for its utilization of the international Territory of Namibia as a
springboard for perpetrating armed invasions and
destabilization of the People’s Republic of Angola;

3. Demands that South Africa withdraw forthwith
and unconditionally all its military forces from the territory of the People’s Republic of Angola, cease all acts
of aggression against that State and scrupulously respect
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Angola;

4. Calls upon all States to implement fully the arms
embargo imposed against South Africa in resolution 418

5. Requests Member States urgently to extend all
necessary assistance to the People’s Republic of Angola
and other front-line States, in order to strengthen their
defence capacity against South Africa’s acts of aggression;

6. Calls for payment of full and adequate compenSation to the People’s Republic of Angola for the
damage to life and property resulting from those acts of
aggression;

7. Decides to appoint and send immediately to
Angola a commission of investigation, comprising three
members of the Security Council, in order to evaluate
the damage resulting from the invasion by South
African forces and to report to the Council not later
than 15 November 1985;

8. Urges Member States, pending the report of the
Commission of Investigation, to take prompt, appropriate and effective action to bring pressure to bear upon
the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of the present resolution and of the Charter of
the United Nations, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Angola, and to desist from all acts of
aggression against neighbouring States;

9. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Adopted unanimously at the
2607th meeting, following a
separate vote on operative
paragraph 5.

71 Ibid., Fortieth Year, 2606th meeting.