FE files, lot 55 D 480, “United Nations”
Memorandum by the United Nations Adviser, Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs (Bacon), to the Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (McConaughy)
- Subject:
- Status of Chinese representative in Committee 3 of the GA
A problem has arisen in Committee 3 (Social and Humanitarian) of the General Assembly which is under the chairmanship of a satellite representative, Nosek of Czechoslovakia. Following the precedent set last year by the Polish chairman of another committee, Nosek addresses [Page 798] the Chinese representative not as the “Delegate of China” but merely by name. The Chinese representative yesterday protested.
Anticipating trouble, USUN had already approached the Secretariat, and Hammarskjold had tried prior to the meeting to induce Nosek to follow usual UN procedures. Nosek, however, said that his instructions on the point were very strict. The Secretary General is to make another attempt to work out a solution with Nosek. USUN has asked the Department to consider what course we should follow in the event Nosek persists in his present policy.
Comment: Last year a similar problem arose in Committee 6 under Polish chairmanship. The U.S. representative challenged the chairman’s action and a heated and unpleasant exchange followed. Eventually the U.S. succeeded in getting a resolution through the committee calling on the chairman to follow the usual proprieties in addressing all committee members. The resolution was approved toward the very end of the committee sessions, and the Chinese representative avoided asking for recognition subsequent to the resolution.
The present situation is complicated by the possibility that, if we were again able to obtain passage of a resolution along the lines of last year’s, Nosek might, under his instructions, disregard the resolution. We would then be faced with the alternatives of acquiescing in a slight to the Chinese Government or seeking to obtain Nosek’s ouster as chairman. The latter step is unprecedented and would be difficult to achieve.
Some hope exists that some solution may yet be worked out, such as referring to “the Chinese Representative”. Nosek is personally not an obnoxious type such as the Polish chairman last year, and the Chinese delegation last year showed a willingness to look for reasonable ways out of the difficulty. If, however, Nosek is strictly bound by instructions, the problem may become troublesome.