FRANCO NOT WANTED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24797, 11 February 1946, Page 5

FRANCO NOT WANTED

Decision of United Nations UNANIMOUS VOTE

(t .Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 9. The Franco regime in Spain was cftidemned at the bar of world opinion to-day, when delegate aiter delegate attacked it during a debate in the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution, moved by Panama. The* resolution was strengthened and then carried unanimously. The effect of the resolution is to exclude Spain under its present Government from membership of UNO.

The original motion, after setting out a general condemnation, recommended that members of the United Nations should take this into account. in dealing with Spain. The motion was amended by a recommendation that’ member nations should act in accordance with the condemnation of the Franco regime in all. relations with Spain.

The motion said the United Nations’ Charter “cannot be applied to States whose regimes have been installed with the help of the armed forces of countries which fought against the United Nations, so long as these regimes are in power.” It also said that Britain, America, -and Russia stated at Potsdam that they would not support a request for admission by the present Government of Spain, because, in view of its origin, nature, and close association with aggressors, it did not possess the necessary qualifications. Senor Jiminez opened the debate, urging the Assembly to adopt the resolution unanimously. He described it as in logical sequence after the San Francisco resolution anc. the Big Three’s Potsdam declaration. Some delegates would like to see the language stronger, but Panama preferred a simple declaration, whose letter and spirit should govern UNO’s future relations with Spain. Nazi Survivors in Spain Mr Ivan Ducaek (Czechoslovakia) said if the world were to have peace without the nightmare of Fascism and Nazism it would have to eliminate the remnants surviving in Spain. General Franco became Spain’s master because Hitler and Mussolini needed him. It was an anachronism in world freedom that Nazi survivors, including Gestapo remnants, were still in refuge in Spain. Mr P. Noel-Baker (Britain) said the British people had not forgotten the 10 years’ history of the Franco regime and hoped for the earliest change in accordance with the principles for which the United Nations fought the war and the spirit animating the world to-day.

Mr Kuzma Kiselev (Byelo Russia) said the Franco regime helped Germany with all its resources. To the last day of. the war, it placed them at Germany’s disposal. It allowed ports to be used as bases for submarines. The Spanish Blue Division faithfully served its German masters and behaved as badly against the population as the Germans did.

Mr Erik Colban (Norway) moved an amendment that members of the United Nations should act in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the resolution in the conduct of future relations with Spain rather than merely taking the resolution into account.

The amendment was carried by 35 to 3, and the resolution, as amended, •by 45 votes to none.