Office of the Historian

321. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State1

New York, November 13, 1962, 4 p.m.

1756. Verbatim Text. For: Bell (OES). Third Committee—UNHCR.

Heroux (Canada) presented Mission following draft resolution regarding UNHCR mandate continuation agreed on with 12 co-sponsors (Algeria, Morocco, Norway, Denmark, Colombia, Malaya, Tanganyika, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Congo (Lime), Iran):

“The General Assembly,

Noting the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,

Recalling its resolution 1165 (XII) of November 1957, in which it was decided to review, not later than at its 17th Session, the arrangements for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees with a view to determining whether the Office should be continued beyond 31 December 1963,

Convinced of the continuing need for international action on behalf of refugees,

Considering the valuable work which has been performed by the Office of the High Commissioner in providing international protection for refugees and in promoting permanent solutions for their problems, with the joint participation of governments, international organizations and voluntary agencies;

Commending the High Commissioner for the efforts he has made in finding satisfactory solutions for refugee problems affecting groups of refugees within his mandate and those for whom he lends his Good Offices,

1.
Decides to continue the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees for a further period of five years from 1 January 1964;
2.
Requests the High Commissioner to continue to report to the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s programme, and to abide by the directions which the Committee gives him with regards to refugee situations;2
3.
Invites member states of the United Nations and the specialized agencies to lend support to the High Commissioner’s programme;
4.
Decides to review, not later than at its 22nd Session, the arrangements for the Office of the High Commissioner with a view to determining whether the Office should be continued beyond December, 1968.”3

Although all USG objections have not been met, Mission convinced serious attempt made to accommodate US position. Draft resolution to be tabled November 14 PM. Request authority to support text without reservations.

Stevenson
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, 324.8411/11–1362. Confidential. Repeated to Geneva and Ottawa.↩
  2. The final text of this paragraph reads: “Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to continue …”.↩
  3. The final text of this paragraph reads: “… whether the Office should be continued beyond 31 December, 1968.” The draft resolution was approved by the UN General Assembly as Resolution 1783 (XVII) of December 7, by a vote of 99 to 0, with 1 abstention.↩