501.BC/6–2047: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations ( Austin ) to the Secretary of State
Security Council (144th Meeting)
590. In a closed meeting June 20, the Council was brought up to date on conversations among the permanent members regarding candidates for the Governor of Trieste. The SC directed the Secretariat to draw up a list of nominees mentioned, with statements of their occupational backgrounds, to which any SC member could make additions. Statements of qualifications of the candidates will not be included in the list, but will be communicated orally at private meetings.
Cadogan (UK) reviewed the informal meetings of the permanent members since February, outlining the attitudes expressed on candidates mentioned. Egeland of South Africa remained first choice of the UK. Cadogan remarked that Nordenskjold of Sweden was supported by UK, US, China and France, but Chairman Parodi (France)1 corrected him, stating he had not expressed his support. Cadogan reported Guisan had indicated definitely he could not accept the position, and reviewed UK objections to the Soviet-sponsored candidates—Branting2 and Wold.3 He said he had not yet received instructions about DeJean,4 French ambassador to Czechoslovakia, nominated by the USSR June 16, but that he was under the impression that all agreed it would be better not to select a national of the permanent SC members. If this were not the case, it would open up a “new and large field”.
Stressing the qualifications of Azcarate—a “well-known Spanish democrat”—Chairman Parodi said the SC should look first to personal qualifications rather than to nationality. Hodgson (Australia)5 thought the caliber of the candidates mentioned to date did not seem, “on the whole,” very high. He felt the Council should choose the most competent person available, regardless of nationality. In reply to a [Page 84] question by Hodgson, ASYG Sobolev6 said Buisseret7 of Belgium was the only man officially suggested to the SYG.
Also in reply to a question by Hodgson, Johnson explained that there was no hard and fast agreement that nationals of the permanent members would be excluded from consideration. He believed there was a feeling, however, that since the Governor would be responsible to the SC and under its detailed direction, it would be preferable that the Governor not be a national of these five Powers. But, after exhausting all possibilities for agreement on such candidates, it might be necessary later to enlarge the field of choice. He agreed that personal qualifications should be the primary consideration, but this did not mean that other considerations should be excluded. Johnson noted that in the beginning, to be helpful and for no other reason, the US suggested five names, among whom it had no preferences. He stressed, however, that the US had not yet officially presented a single candidate. Johnson differed with Hodgson’s assertion that none of the candidates mentioned to date were outstanding. From personal knowledge, he said, he knew two or three would be excellent choices and entirely loyal to the SC, whose servant they would be.
Hodgson felt Sandstrom should remain under consideration, but Cadogan thought Sandstrom would be busy with the Palestine Inquiry Committee probably until November and he hoped the Treaty with Italy would be in force before then. In reply to a question by Hodgson, Gromyko (USSR) said candidates rejected by the Soviet Union undoubtedly were “good people,” but did not possess the necessary qualifications for such an important “political and administrative” post. Parodi stressed that the Governor would need strength of character, high moral qualifications, and ability as a negotiator and conciliator. The Council agreed with Parodi’s suggestion, made earlier by the Syrian representative, that the Secretariat prepare a confidential list of candidates mentioned to date. Those who would not be available even if chosen, however, would not be included on the list. Johnson expressed the serious hope that all SC Members would consult their governments to produce names of qualified candidates. The Council agreed that new nominees would be incorporated in this list.
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- Alexandre Parodi, Permanent French delegate to the Security Council.↩
- Georg Branting, Swedish Senator and lawyer.↩
- Terje Wold, Norwegian Minister of Justice, 1939–1945.↩
- Maurice Dejean, French Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, 1945–1949.↩
- William Roy Hodgson, Australian Minister to France since March 1945; member of U.N. Security Council, 1946.↩
- Arkady Alexandrovich Sobolev, of the Soviet Union, Assistant Secretary General of the U.N., in charge of the Department of Security Council Affairs, 1946.↩
- August Buisseret, Belgian Minister of the Interior, March 1946.↩