Cablegram United Nations 572 NEWYORK, 29 October, 946, 11.40 P.M.
ASSEMBLY 49.
1. The following observations regarding elections to the Security
Council [1] are submitted with a view to obtaining early
instructions.
2. As previously reported Colombia and Syria have gained pre-
selection by the Latin American and Arab groups respectively.
Public announcement of Indian candidate has raised the immediate
question whether India is a direct rival to Syria or wishes to
fill the third vacancy.
3. Countries of Northern and Western Europe wish to ensure that a
member from that region succeeds Netherlands. Belgium seems to be
the most likely candidate, Nor-way and Denmark are reluctant. This
group is meeting shortly to decide on the candidate and will press
their claims under criteria in the Charter.
4. Greece which lies outside the main democratic group in Europe
and which has not received encouragement from the United Kingdom
and United States, now appears to have abandoned hopes of election
and will probably concentrate on seeking re-election to the
Economic and Social Council, although she would be very happy to
serve on the Security Council if possible.
5. Soviet intentions are unknown but there are no immediate signs
that she is backing any European satellite. Yugoslavia is trying
for re-election to the Economic and Social Council. Syria claims
to have promise of Soviet support.
support the Arab nominee but the Indian announcement has reopened
the question and several Latins tell us they have no commitment to
Syria. Iran has sought instructions but the Delegation here is
inclined to support India rather than Syria, chiefly in order to
establish that the geographical region is Asiatic, not merely
Arabic. Iran itself is no longer a candidate.
7. United Kingdom views were communicated in their telegram
D. No.960. [2] For political reasons they will try to elect both
Syria and India at the expense of Belgium. Canada leans towards
support of India instead of Syria.
8. The United States slate is Belgium, Colombia and Syria. They
doubt Indian stability.
9. India has asked for Australian support. We suggest that we
should support India in preference to the Arab nominee both
because of our own political relations with India and because
Indian election would
(a) Break down the Arab notion that their group have a permanent
member
(b) Establish the idea that the geographical area is not Levant
but Asiatic region (on this aspect of the question, China, Iran
and Ethiopia take a similar view)
(c) Break down a tendency to think that two members of the British
Commonwealth cannot be a member of the Council at the same time
and that no state can be members of both Councils at the same
time, and
(d) Because India satisfies the criteria of the Charter better
than Syria.
10. In general, we suggest we might support Colombia, India and a
European state (either Belgium or Greece). Elections to the
Security Council cannot be considered apart from the Economic and
Social Council and while we will deal with the latter separately
we can report that the tentative United States slate is Uruguay,
New Zealand, Netherlands, Turkey, United States and either White
Russia or Poland.
[AA:A1068, A47/15/3]
1 See Volume IX, Document 70. The non-permanent members of the
Security Council whose one-year terms were to expire in January
1947 were Egypt, Mexico and the Netherlands.
2 Addison had advised that the United Kingdom, though unable to
make any 'firm promise', recognised 'the strength of India's claim
to election to the Security Council' but expected that, if
unsuccessful, India would not compete against Canada for election
the following year.
