Assembly 83. HEADQUARTERS.

1. After further long debate during which Hodgson again made a
strong case the Australian amendment to locate temporary
Headquarters in San Francisco was put to the vote and rejected by
21 votes against 19 and 4 abstentions. [1] We were supported in
the minority by Arab States, France, China, Philippines, Bolivia,
Chile, Cuba, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and
Denmark. The French then withdrew their proposal to leave the
decision to the Secretary-General and the Committee proceeded to
vote on the Interim Committee's recommendation for New York. This
was adopted by 29 votes to 13, the minority comprising Australia,
China, Arab States and six Latins. France, Denmark, Philippines,
Panama, Peru and Nicaragua crossed to the majority.

2. China and some of the remaining Latins privately indicated they
were unlikely to go any further and were prepared to move that the
vote be carried unanimously. As it was clear that supporters of
the report would be able to gain two-thirds majority in the
Plenary, Hodgson announced that Australia, having put its case
forcefully and at length, would now accept the majority decision
gracefully and would loyally co-operate to make the Headquarters a
success. He therefore proposed that the decision be made
unanimous. Applause and subsequent congratulations showed
appreciation both of our vigorous fight and of final acceptance of
the verdict.

3. The Committee then discussed the appointment of a Planning
Commission on Headquarters to report to the Second Part of the
First Session in September. Australia is one of eight members to
be recommended to the Plenary for appointment to this Committee,
the character of which has been changed somewhat from purely
Expert Body proposed in Chapter X of the Preparatory Commission's
report. Australia has also been appointed to the Headquarters
negotiating Committee on the recommendations of Sixth Committee
which prepared the final draft of the proposed convention between
United Nations and United States.