UNP files, lot 59 D 237, “Slates”
Memorandum by Paul W. Jones of the Office of united Nations Political and Security Affairs to the Officer in Charge, General Assembly Affairs (Taylor)
Current Status of Slates
The current status of some of the major slates questions is as follows:
Eighth GA Presidency: Prince Wan informed us prior to the Seventh Session last fall that he was definitely a candidate for the post and that the Foreign Office was approaching diplomatic missions in Bangkok for support.
The Belgian Ambassador last September told Mr. Hickerson that Belgium felt strongly that a European should be elected. Mr. Hickerson said we agreed that the time for a European President was overdue, but stated that Prince Wan had indicated an interest in the post for the Eighth session and that we did not know what our final attitude would be. He also mentioned possible difficulties of electing a President from a NATO country immediately following Pearson.
You will also recall that before the Seventh Session there were rumors that the Soviet bloc might make a bid for the Presidency of the Eighth Session.
Security Council:
- 1.
- Peru and Brazil are candidates for Chile’s seat. I should think we would leave the choice up to the Latin Americans.
- 2.
- New Zealand may be a candidate to succeed Pakistan which holds the Commonwealth seat, although we have heard of no definite decision. We have learned from the Australian Embassy that Australia is considering whether it should run if New Zealand does not. Mr. Hickerson told the Embassy that we have always considered the seat now held by Pakistan as a Commonwealth seat and that we have been prepared to support the choice of the Commonwealth members.
- 3.
- There is no announced candidate to succeed Greece. However, the Soviets will probably put up a satellite. I suggest that in the near future we ascertain from the Philippines whether it wishes to run for Greece’s seat. It was a candidate in 1951 and no Far Eastern state has yet been on the Council.
ECOSOC:
- 1.
- The USSR and the UK are up for reelection.
- 2.
- Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Thailand are candidates to succeed the Philippines. I should think we would vote for Thailand. Indonesia is also a candidate for the Trusteeship Council and we might support it for that post. Pakistan was a candidate for ECOSOC in [Page 453] 1952 and will probably run a strong campaign this year but I believe it would be difficult to support it for a Far Eastern seat.
- 3.
- Norway is a candidate to succeed Sweden.
- 4.
- Ecuador is thus far the only Latin American candidate which has asked for our support to succeed Uruguay. However, according to Mr. Meade of the UK delegation, Bolivia is running strong.
- 5.
- A Soviet satellite will certainly be a candidate for Poland’s seat. Last year Czechoslovakia was defeated by Yugoslavia after 13 ballots, with the result that the Soviet bloc now has two rather than three members on ECOSOC, including the USSR. I doubt that we could again defeat a Soviet satellite this year without a major battle, and even then we might lose.
Trusteeship Council: Haiti and Indonesia are candidates to replace the Dominican Republic and Thailand.