CHINA’S SEAT AT U.N.

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27147, 17 September 1953, Page 9

CHINA’S SEAT AT U.N.

Decision To Be Postponed NEW YORK, September 15. The United Nations General Assembly today voted by 44 to 10, with two abstentions, to postpone for this year the question of Chinese representation in the United Nations. The vote came on a United States proposal, backed by Britain, after the Soviet delegate (Mr Vyshinsky) had demanded that the Chinese Communists be seated in place of the Nationalist representatives. Without waiting for the scheduled formalities which usually occupy the delegates at the opening of a meeting, Mr Vyshinsky declared that the United Nations Charter was being violated by the exclusion of the Peking regime. Among the 10 who voted against the United States proposal to postpone the Chinese representation issue were Indonesia, Burma, India, Jugoslavia and the Soviet group of five. One of two abstentions was by Afghanistan. The vote was by show c“ hands. Soviet Delegate’s Speech

Mr Vyshinsky began by saying that the Assembly was convening in “exceptional circumstances.” He said that it was only one month and a half since the “historic day” when thei Korean armistice agreement was signed at Panmunjon. The decisions of the Assembly, he said, must be “armed with the full weight of international authority.” The Chinese National delegation sat without any political, juridical, or moral right, he said. This abnormal situation was “intolerable.” Consideration of the Korean question showed the fallacy and barrenness of the attempts to solve this question by ignoring China, he said. The General Assembly, considering the question of a political conference on Korea, had adopted a decision without the participation of the Chinese People’s Republic. That decision could not have any practical significance without the Chinese Republic representatives having participated in the discussion. “It is obvious that a solution of this question would have been more rapidly and more expeditiously carried out had the Chinese People’s Republic occupied its proper seat in the United Nations,” he said. Appeal By Mr Dulles

The United States Secretary of State (Mr John Foster Dulles) immediately appealed to the Assembly to postpone for its duration consideration of any proposals to change the Chinese representation.

“I make this appeal to the Assembly so that we can go on with our work, he said. “We know that three years ago the Chinese Communists intervened with their armed forces, as aggressors, to overthrow and seize the Republic of Korea. These armed forces are still remaining in Korea.” The British delegate (Sir Gladwyn Jebb) said his Government recognised the Peking regime as the Government of China, but it did not feel that this wc the appropriate time to consider the question of Chinese representation in the United Nations.

Mr Vyshinsky made his proposal after Mr Lester Pearson, of Canada, the retiring President of tne Assembly, said that the session which ended just over a fortnight ago would probably be known as the Korean Assembly.

Conference On Korea Mr Pearson recallecPthat on August 28 the Assembly had brought its session to a close by making provision for the United Nations side for the Korean peace conference. “It now remains for the others concerned to take the steps necessary to bring about this conference, the success of which can have such beneficial and far reaching results, but the failure of which might have equally far-reaching results of a wrong kind/’ Mr Pearson said. “From the Korean experience we have, I hope, learned some lessons. One is that collective action against aggression can work, even when that action is incomplete in organisation, support, and participation.”