Security 141.

As instructed, the following reservation by the Australian
Government has been made to the report by the Membership
Committee.

Begins:

As stated in the Security Council on 22nd and 23rd May, 1946, the
Australian Government takes the view that the procedure adopted by
the Security Council in regard to the admission of new members is
incorrect and that applications should be dealt with in the first
instance by the General Assembly. As the required majority of the
Security Council decided to establish the Committee on new
members, Australia, as a member of the Security Council,
participated in the work of the Committee, but participation and
the approval of the Committee's report are not regarded as
limiting in any way the right of the Australian Government to re-
open the procedural question if it thinks fit. Further, the fact
that an application for membership has or has not been considered
by this Committee is not regarded as excluding such application
from consideration by the General Assembly. Because of the views
of the Australian Government regarding the correct procedure and
its views regarding the Committee's functions, the Australian
representative limited his participation in the Committee's work
to assisting the Committee to obtain information concerning
applications, and Australia does not feel that it is called upon
at this stage to pronounce either in favour or against applicants
and hence has not declared its attitude towards any application.

On the information at present available to it, the Australian
Government would be prepared at the proper time to support the
application of Eire, Sweden, Trans-Jordan and Afghanistan. This
should not be taken as an indication that at the proper time
Australia will not support the application of any or all other
applicant states.

Ends.