ASSEMBLY OPENS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 7

ASSEMBLY OPENS

Gen. Marshall On Work Of U.N.

“ SMALL MINORITY ” BLAMED

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) PARIS. September 23. Concern at the persistent refusal of a small minority to participate in the work of the United Nations was expressed by General Marshall (United States) in tne opening debate of the United Nations Assembly in Paris today. More important than this boycott, however, was the disturbing lack of co-operation which the United Nations received in its efforts to resolve such questions as Korea and Greece, and to bring about international control of atomic energy. General Marshall appealed for an overwhelming majority approving the declaration of human rights. “Systematic. deliberate denials of basic human rights lie at the root of most of our troubles and threaten the work of the United Nations,” he declared.

Governments which consistently dislegarded the rights of their own people were not likely to respect the rights of other nations and peoples and were likely to seek their objective bv coercion and force in the international field.

General Marshall added: “It will always be trqe that those members of the United Nations which strive with sincerity of purpose to live by the Charter and conform to’the principles of justice and law proclaimed by it will be those States which are genuinely dedicated to the preservation of the dignity and integrity of the individual.” U.S. Policies Outlined He made the following points on the United States’ attitude to world problems: Palestine: early demobilisation of the armed xorces, repatriation of refugees, economic aid to the Jews and Arabs, and the admission of Transjordan and Israel to United Nations membership. Korea: a unified, independent Korea accepted as a member of the United Nations with a Government chosen by free elections. Greece: the country must be made secure irom aggressive,' unlawful interference from without. Indonesia: a negotiated settlement without further bloodshed, sovereign independence for the people, and continued co-operation between them and the Netherlands.

India: continued mediation and negotiation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir in order to achieve a peaceful settlement.

Atomic energy: the early establishment of international control providing for the elimination of atomic weapons from national armaments and the progressive reduction of armaments as rapidly as the restoration of political confidence permits under adequate guarantees against violation. General Marshall said that the United States supported the formation of a United Nations guard as distinct from the United Nations army envisaged by the Charter. The United States thought that the “Little Assembly" should be continued for another year. The United States did not wisn to increase the existing tension in international affairs, but it would not compromise on essential principles. Peace Treaties

“The Charter was written with the expectation that solution of the. problems before the United Nations would not be made more difficult by a long delay in completing the peace settlemots,” he said. “We should, therefore, make every effort to achieve a peace settlement so that Japan and Germany may exist as democratic, peaceful nations, subject to safeguards against a revival of military or economic means of aggression, so that they can in due course demonstrate their qualification for admission to United Nations membership ” General Marshall con inued: “In Austria our aim is the restoration of political and economic freedom within the 1937 frontiers and immediate admission to the United Nations. We hope that the Security Council will recommend that admission to the United Nations of a number of fully qualified States, including Ceylon, whose election has been supported by the United States but has been blocked for reasons not consistent with the Charter.” He added that the United Nations had sought to promote the free exchange of ideas on a basis of full reciprocity. The effort was of the greatest political importance. “Any government which by deliberate action cuts itself and its people off from the rest of the world becomes incapable of understanding the problems and policies of other governments and other peoples,” he said. “It would be a tragic error if because of such misunderstanding the patience of others should be mistaken for weakness.”

Assembly Debate Opened “For the last several weeks the city of Berlin has been the focus of men’s fears, but now for some weeks the city of Paris will be the centre of men s hopes,” said General Carlos Romulo, chairman of the Philippines delegation, in opening the debate. “Our meeting coincides with a turning point in history. We are called upon to help decide three momentous issues of our time—whether we shall have war or peace; whether men shall live in larger freedom or under increasing regimentation; whether the nations shall eventually unite into a single community of peoples under a world charter or be divided permanently into armed hostile camps governed only by the predatory laws of the jungle. “These, in essence, are the problems confronting us, which involve the fate of every man, woman, and child now living, as well as generations yet unborn. There is something supremely ironic, yet touching, in the way events have persisted in demonstrating the World’s need for the United Nations. Evdry international problem which has defied solution by an individual State has come before us. and perhaps before we adjourn we shall have the gravest and most difficult problem of all—the quarrel of the great Powers over Germany.

“War is the great overriding problem before us. The danger is not any longer remote or hypothetical. It is real and it grows with every passing hour. Even as we deliberate here on the problem of peace, the great Powers arm and gird for war. War is on in Asia. It chafes angrily under an uneasy truce in Palestine and stalks with iron tread the Continent of Europe. We meet under its shadow. We cannot ignore it any more than we could ignore a time-bomb ticking away at our feet.

“The Philippines delegation, calls upon the great Powers to make a fresh determined effort, hot only; to resolve the present quarrels without recourse to arms, but to find some means by which they can live in peace long enough to give mankind a chance to build, through the United Nations, stronger safeguards for the security and well-being of aIL”