35. Letter From Bangladeshi President Zia to President Carter1
Excellency,
You may be aware that Bangladesh is a candidate for membership of the UN Security Council for the term of 1979–80. I have instructed my Ambassador to apprise you of the merits of our candidature and also to discuss this issue with concerned members of your Government.
Bangladesh’s candidature underscores our commitment to the United Nations Charter and our election would afford us an opportunity to play a vigorous role in striving for the maintenance of international peace and promotion of understanding between nations.
As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Commonwealth and as a least developed country, Bangladesh has been actively participating in the various important international organizations. Bangladesh has thus been in the mainstream of all significant international movements committed to peace, stability and progress. It has been her constant endeavour to contribute in a constructive manner to deliberations on international issues on the basis of justice and fair-play. Bangladesh has at all times striven for a realistic and balanced approach to issues in a spirit of understanding and conciliation.
I am happy to inform you that we have already received assurances of support from a number of friendly countries. The Ninth Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference in Dakar has also endorsed our candidature. Election of Bangladesh to the Security Council would also vindicate the principle of geographical rotation in filling vacancies in various UN organs and thus help towards realization of our shared objective of making the United Nations organs more representative in character.
In view of the cordial and friendly relations existing between our two countries, I hope it will be possible for Your Excellency’s Government to extend its support to our candidature. Your valuable support would go a long way towards ensuring our success in the election.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Box 2, Bangladesh: President Ziaur Rahman, 4/77–12/80. No classification marking.↩