80. Editorial Note
Between July 2 and 7, 1961, the U.N. Security Council met to consider a July 1 Kuwaiti complaint to the Security Council that Iraq was threatening Kuwait’s territorial independence and an Iraqi complaint delivered on July 2 that the United Kingdom posed an armed threat to Iraq’s independence and security. After a discussion of the issues involved, the United Kingdom on July 6 submitted a draft resolution that called upon all states to respect Kuwait’s independence and territorial integrity, urged that all concerned work for peace and tranquility in the area, and agreed to keep the situation under review. The United Arab Republic objected to the United Kingdom’s draft on the basis that it did not provide for the withdrawal of British forces, and consequently submitted its own draft resolution urging that the question be solved by peaceful means and calling for an immediate withdrawal of British forces from Kuwait.
On July 7, the Council voted 7 in favor, 1 opposed, with 3 abstentions on the U.K. draft resolution. Because the negative vote came from the Soviet Union, a permanent member of the Security Council, the draft resolution failed of adoption. The Council then voted on the draft of the United Arab Republic, 3 in favor, 0 against, with 8 abstentions. This draft resolution also failed of adoption because it did not obtain the required 7 affirmative votes. The United States voted in favor of the United Kingdom’s draft resolution and abstained on that of the United Arab Republic.
During the discussion, the U.S. Representative affirmed that the United States regarded Kuwait as a sovereign independent state and supported Kuwait’s desire to remain free and independent. Documentation relating to U.S. involvement in the Security Council debate, including instructions sent to the Mission to the United Nations, negotiations relating to the draft resolutions, and texts of U.S. statements are in Department of State, Central Files 786D.00, 786D.022, and 686D.87. See also Supplement, the compilation on Kuwait.