167. Editorial Note
The Second Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly convened at 4 p.m. on November 4. Ambassador Sobolev objected strongly to the inclusion of “The Situation in Hungary” on the agenda for he claimed it would be in violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, which prohibited intervention in the domestic affairs of member states. Continuing along this line, he cited the communication from the “legal” Kádár government, which opposed United Nations consideration of matters exclusively within the purview of the Hungarian People’s Republic. (A/3311) Nevertheless, the matter was inscribed on the General Assembly agenda as item 5 by a vote of 53 to 8, with 7 abstentions.
In reference to the developments in Hungary, Lodge then spoke of the “sickening picture of duplicity and double-dealing,” “wholesale brutality,” and “cynical and wanton acts of aggression”. Thereupon, he submitted for adoption draft resolution A/3286. The draft had been formulated at the White House and telephoned to the U.S. Delegation at the United Nations at 3 p.m. and Lodge had made some minor changes. At this stage, operative paragraph 4 read:
“4. Requests the Secretary General to investigate the situation, to observe directly through representatives named by him, the situation in Hungary and to report thereon to the General Assembly at the earliest moment and as soon as possible suggest methods to bring an end to the existing situation in Hungary in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;”
During the debate the Representative of France offered an amendment changing the language of this paragraph, to which Lodge agreed in the interest of time. Despite strong Soviet objections, Resolution 1004 (ES–II) was adopted by a vote of 50 to 8, with 15 abstentions. In the operative paragraphs of the resolution, the General Assembly:
- “1. Calls upon the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to desist forthwith from all attack on the people of Hungary and from any form of intervention, in particular armed intervention, in the internal affairs of Hungary;
- “2. Calls upon the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to cease the introduction of additional armed forces into Hungary and to withdraw all of its forces without delay from Hungarian territory;
- “3. Affirms the right of the Hungarian people to a government responsive to its national aspirations and dedicated to its independence and well-being;
- “4. Requests the Secretary-General to investigate the situation caused by foreign intervention in Hungary, to observe the situation directly through representatives named by him, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at the earliest moment, and as soon as possible suggest methods to bring an end to the foreign intervention in Hungary in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
- “5. Calls upon the Government of Hungary and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to permit observers designated by the Secretary-General to enter the territory of Hungary, to travel freely therein, and to report their findings to the Secretary-General;
- “6. Calls upon all Members of the United Nations to co-operate with the Secretary-General and his representatives in the execution of his functions;
- “7. Requests the Secretary-General in consultation with the heads of appropriate specialized agencies to inquire, on an urgent basis, into the needs of the Hungarian people for food, medicine and other similar supplies, and to report to the General Assembly as soon as possible;
- “8. Requests all Members of the United Nations, and invites national and international humanitarian organizations to co-operate in making available such supplies as may be required by the Hungarian people.”
The Assembly then adjourned at 8:10 p.m. For the official record of the session, see U.N. doc. A/PV.564.