Editorial Note
The question of the observance in Bulgaria and Hungary of human rights and fundamental freedoms was considered by the United Nations General Assembly during its Third Regular Session, Second Part, held at Lake Success and Flushing Meadow, New York, April 5–May 20, 1949. In a letter of March 16 to the United Nations Secretary General (U.N. Doc. A/820), the Bolivian Mission to the United Nations proposed that the General Assembly study the legal proceedings [Page 244] of the Hungarian Government against Cardinal Mindszenty. On March 19 the Australian Mission to the United Nations proposed (U.N. Doc. A/821) that the question of the observance of fundamental freedoms and human rights in Bulgaria and Hungary, particularly in relation to the recent trials of Church officials in those countries, be placed on the agenda of the General Assembly. After a lengthy debate, the General Committee followed the suggestion of the United States Delegation and voted on April 7 to include on the General Assembly agenda an item combining the Bolivian and Australian proposals. At its 190th plenary meeting on April 12, the General Assembly referred the question to the Ad Hoc Political Committee. The Ad Hoc Political Committee discussed the issue during its 34th to 41st meeings, April 19 to 22. Three principal draft resolutions for dealing with the question were considered. A Cuban draft resolution (U.N. Doc. A/AC.24/48/Rev. 2) proposed the establishment of a special 15-member fact finding committee to elucidate the acts alleged to have been committed in Bulgaria and Hungary against human rights and fundamental freedoms. A Bolivian draft resolution (U.N. Doc. A/AC.24/51/Corr. 1) proposed that the General Assembly express its “deep concern,” support the steps taken by the peace treaty signatories regarding the accusations, and retain the matter on the agenda for the Fourth Session of the Assembly. An Australian draft resolution (U.N. Doc. A/AC.24/52) proposed the establishment of a small committee to investigate the matter. The Cuban and Australian draft resolutions were subsequently withdrawn, and in their stead there was proposed a joint Australian-Cuban amendment (U.N, Doc. A/AC.24/56) to the draft Bolivian resolution calling for the establishment of a committee of inquiry to investigate the charges. A Chilean amendment (U.N. Doc. A/AC.24/53) to the Bolivian draft resolution “condemning” the acts committed by Bulgaria and Hungary, and a joint Colombian-Costa Rican amendment (U.N. Doc. A/AC.24/54) to the Bolivian draft resolution providing for reconsideration of the General Assembly recommendation on membership of Bulgaria and Hungary in the United Nations were also submitted but were subsequently withdrawn at the request of the United States Delegation. For the texts of the draft resolutions and amendments referred to here, see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Third Session, Second Part, Ad Hoc Political Committee, Annexes, pages 2–11. In a speech to the Ad Hoc Political Committee on April 18, Benjamin V. Cohen, the United States Delegate to the General Assembly, reviewed in some detail the suppression of human rights in Bulgaria and Hungary and expressed support for the Bolivian draft resolution. For the text of Cohen’s address, see Department of State Bulletin, May 1, 1949, pages 556–560. At its 41st meeting on April 22, the Ad Hoc Political Committee rejected the Australian-Cuban [Page 245] amendment and adopted the Bolivian draft resolution by a vote of 34 to 6, with 11 abstentions. For the official records of the meetings of the Ad Hoc Political Committee on this question, see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Third Session, Second Part, Summary Records of Meetings, pages 161–176.
The General Assembly considered the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Political Committee at its 201st to 203rd plenary meetings, April 29 and 30. The resolution as a whole was adopted by the General Assembly at its 203rd meeting, April 30, by a vote of 34 to 6, with 9 abstentions. For the official records of these General Assembly meetings, see United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, Third Session, Second Part, Plenary Meetings, pages 225–273. For the text of the resolution adopted, see infra.
The basic official American documents (telegrams, memoranda, etc.) regarding the transactions in the United Nations General Assembly and its Ad Hoc Political Committee is included in case 501.BD of the Central Files of the Department of State. Certain specialized documentation on human rights questions before the United Nations is included in case 501.BD Human Eights. Daily summaries, both classified and unclassified, on the transactions in General Assembly and its committees and ancillary bodies as well as on the activities of and information reaching the United States Mission at the United Nations were prepared by the Mission at New York and transmitted by telegram to the Department of State. These daily summaries are included in case 501. Summaries of the Department’s Central Files. The comprehensive and voluminous collection of materials on the transactions of the General Assembly and the activities of the United States Mission is contained in the Department of State’s special International Organizations “Lot File”.