Testing UN methods

By Tony Jaques, NZSPA

Students posing as United Nations delegates may be debating in the old Legislative Council Chamber in August.

If permission is granted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, this debate will highlight a two-day discussion, organised by NZUSA on Rhodesia.

"This will take the form of a Model United Nations General Assembly meeting along the lines of a large number of similar such meetings arranged by other National Student Organisations." said the organiser, NZUSA Vice-President David Shand.

"Each participant will represent one particular United Nations member country and it will be his or her task to put forward the view of that country on Rhodesia."

Participants will be expected to familiarise themselves both with the facts of the case and the attitude of the country they have chosen to represent. NZUSA will provide information on Rhodesia and details of United Nations debates on the issue.

On the first day of the discussion, to be held at Victoria University, background papers on Rhodesia will be presented by both advocates and opponents of the Smith Government, as well as background papers on the United Nations.

The second day, which it is hoped will be held in the Legislative Council Chamber in Parliament Buildings, will be the Model United Nations General Assembly. The Prime Minister has been invited to open this debate.

The organisers intend that all students interested in international affairs should participate. Registration forms will be available in all constituent Student Association offices. Registration will close on July 19 at NZUSA, Box 806, Wellington.