59. Editorial Note
The U.N General Assembly discussed the situation in the Congo at a number of sessions between March 21 and April 18. On March 21, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko called for terminating U.N. operations in the Congo within one month and repeated the Soviet demand of the previous September for replacing Secretary-General Hammarskjöld with a three-person executive. Adlai E. Stevenson stated U.S. opposition to these demands in an address to the Assembly later that day. He urged that the Assembly proceed cautiously in order not to impede efforts underway in the Congo to produce conciliation and carry out the February 21 Security Council resolution. For text of his statement, see Department of State Bulletin, April 10, 1961, pages 532–534; an extract is printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 799–800.
On April 15, the General Assembly voted on four draft resolutions. The first, sponsored by 21 countries, would have 1) called on the Belgian Government to comply with previous U.N. resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Belgian and other foreign military and paramilitary personnel not under the U.N. Command; 2) decided that all such personnel should be withdrawn within 21 days, “failing which necessary action should be taken in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations”; and 3) called upon all states to exert their influence and extend their cooperation to implement this. (U.N. document A/L.339 and Add. 1–5) In a statement before the Assembly on April 14, Stevenson stated that the United States would vote against the draft resolution. He noted that a representative of the Secretary-General was in Brussels negotiating with the Belgian Government for the implementation of the February 21 Security Council resolution and that the Belgian Government had indicated its willingness to comply with the resolution. He argued that a 21-day deadline with the hint of sanctions to follow would only make solution of the Congo problem more difficult. For text of his statement, see Department of State Bulletin, May 22, 1961, pages 781–784; extracts are printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 802–806.
On April 15, the Assembly amended the draft resolution by voting to remove the phrases imposing a deadline and referring to possible sanctions. Operative paragraph 2 as amended decided that “all Belgian and other foreign military and paramilitary personnel and political advisers not under the United Nations Command, and mercenaries, shall be completely withdrawn and evacuated.” The draft resolution as amended was adopted as Resolution 1599 (XV) by a vote of 61 to 5, with 33 abstentions, including the United States.
[Page 124]The second draft resolution, sponsored by 17 Asian and African countries, 1) reaffirmed previous U.N. resolutions, especially the February 21 Security Council resolution, 2) called on the Congolese authorities to resolve their problems by peaceful means; 3) declared that the Secretary-General should take steps to prevent the introduction of arms into the Congo except in conformity with U.N. resolutions; 4) urged the immediate release of all political leaders under detention; 5) urged the immediate convening of Parliament under U.N. protection; 6) decided to appoint a Commission of Conciliation; and 7) urged the Congolese authorities to cooperate fully in the implementation of the U.N. resolutions. (U.N. document A/L.340, Add. 1– 4, and Add.3/Corr.1) It was adopted as Resolution 1600 (XV) by a vote of 60 (including the United States) to 16, with 23 abstentions.
The third draft resolution, submitted by the Soviet Union, would have 1) declared that no actions leading to a violation of the unity, political independence, and territorial integrity of the Congo could be allowed; 2) deemed it necessary that Parliament should meet within 21 days; and 3) requested the U.N. Command to ensure the safety of the members of Parliament. (U.N. document A/L.341 and Corr.1) It was rejected by a vote of 29 to 53 (including the United States), with 17 abstentions.
The fourth draft resolution, proposed by Ceylon, Ghana, India, and Morocco, established a Commission of Investigation to examine the circumstances of the death of Lumumba and his colleagues in accordance with the February 21 Security Council resolution. (U.N. document A/L.347) It was adopted as Resolution 1601 (XV) by a vote of 45 to 3, with 49 abstentions (including the United States). The texts of the three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on April 15 are printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 806–809. For the records of the General Assembly debate, see U.N. documents A/PV. 965–987 passim.
Meanwhile, Committee V of the General Assembly was considering the question of financing the U.N. operations in the Congo. On April 20, the Committee approved a draft resolution, proposed originally by Pakistan and Tunisia and in revised form by Ghana, Liberia, Pakistan, and Tunisia, by a vote of 43 (including the United States) to 26, with 14 abstentions. (U.N. document A/4740) It was further amended and adopted by the General Assembly on April 21 as Resolution 1619 (XV) by a vote of 54 (including the United States) to 15, with 23 abstentions. The resolution appropriated $100 million for U.N. operations in the Congo between January 1 and October 21 and apportioned the expenses among the member states in accordance with the scale of assessment for the regular budget with special reductions for member states whose contributions were below a specified percentage of the regular budget. [Page 125] It also urged the permanent members of the Security Council and all other states who could do so to make voluntary contributions and called on Belgium, as a state “directly concerned” with the situation in the Congo, to do so. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 816–817.
In a statement in Committee V on April 18, U.S. Representative Philip M. Klutznick announced that the United States was prepared to make a voluntary contribution of $15 million, provided that a resolution was adopted recognizing the binding obligation of all governments to pay their share of the cost. An extract of his statement is printed ibid., pages 810–815.