48. Telegram From the Mission at the United Nations to the Department of State1
Delga 279. Verbatim text. Re increase in SC. Following is text draft resolution being considered by LA’s:2
“The GA,
“Having regard to the present increased membership of the UN and to the functions of the SC,
“Considering that, in order to give due regard to the contribution of members of the UN which are not permanent members of the SC to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the organization, and also in order to give due regard to equitable geographical distribution, it is desirable to increase the number of non-permanent members of the SC,
- “1. Adopts the following amendments to the Charter, and submits
them for ratification to the members of the UN:
- “A. Paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the Charter shall read:
“‘1. The SC shall consist of thirteen members of the UN. The Republic of China, France, and the USSR, the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the USA shall be permanent [Page 150] members of the SC. The GA shall elect eight other members of the UN to be non-permanent members of the SC, due regard being specially paid, in the first instance, to the contribution of members of the UN to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution.’
- “B. In Article 23 the following new paragraph 3 shall be
inserted, and the former paragraph 3 shall be renumbered 4:
“‘3. Of the two additional non-permanent members first elected after the entry into force of the amendment increasing the size of the SC from eleven to thirteen, one shall be replaced at the next and one at the second regular election thereafter, their terms expiring at the same times as those of the other non-permanent members replaced at those elections.’
- “C. Paragraph 2 of Article 27 shall read:
“‘2. Decisions of the SC on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of eight members.’
- “D. Paragraph 3 of Article 27 shall read:
“‘3. Decisions of the SC on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of eight members, including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that in decisions under Chapter VI, and under Paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.’
- “E. These amendments shall be inoperative unless, within three years from the date of their adoption by the GA, they shall have been ratified as required by the Charter for entry into force.
- “A. Paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the Charter shall read:
- “2. Urges all members of the UN to ratify the above amendments, in accordance with their respective constitutional processes, with the least possible delay;
- “3. Decides to fill the seats of the two non-permanent members added to the Council by the above amendments as soon as possible after the amendments have entered into force, and if necessary to hold a special session of the GA for that purpose.”