NO U.N. ACTION ON GUATEMALA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27387, 28 June 1954, Page 9

NO U.N. ACTION ON GUATEMALA

Vote By Security Council (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 26. The Security Council of the United Nations last night refused to consider intervention in the Guatemalan revolution. The refusal came after a warning from the United States that such intervention could destroy both the United Nations and the hemispheric Organisation of American States. By five votes to four, with two abstentions, the council refused to adopt the agenda containing Guatemala’s demand for action against Honduras and Nicaragua for aiding the anti-Communist insurgents in its country. The United States, Brazil, Colombia, Nationalist China and Turkey voted against the agenda—in effect killing tha possibility of United Nations action in Guatemala now. Russia, Lebanon, Denmark and New Zealand voted for the agenda. Britain and France abstained.

The Soviet Union had fought a losing battle to have the debate in the Security Council as asked by Guatemala. The council adjourned immediately after the vote, after having been in a continuous wrangling session for nearly five hours. . r Mr Henry Cabot Lodge, the chief United States delegate, said the charter of the Organisation of American States required that all disputes in American States should be taken to that organisation before being brought to the Security Council. Mr Semyon Tsarapkin, the Soviet delegate, bitterly assailed Mr Lodge. He said the United States was trying

to undermine the United Nations Charter and told Latin-American countries to beware of the United States. Mr Charles Malik (Lebanon), and Mr L. K. Munro (New Zealand), and Mr Birger Donmoeller (Denmark) said they would have preferred to put the issue on the agenda and .then have a motion for adjournment until a report was received from the Organisation of American States or some action was taken. Mr Munro said the council should not give the appearance of abdicating its responsibilities and the authority conferred on it by the charter. Th,is was a matter of importance to small nations like New Zealand. He said that any decision not to proceed with the discussion did not affect this principle and did not preclude the council’s right to take up the question further. He said that the council should not proceed with the debate, but should maintain its responsibilities. Mr Munro said he shared confidence in the Inter-American Peace Commission as expressed by Britain. He said he trusted that the commission would proceed as soon as possible to the area and that Guatemala would admit the commission to its territory. Mr Munro said that he was fortified by a communication of the chairman of the Peace Commission, addressed to the Secretary-General, referring to a decision to set up a committee of inquiry which will obtain the necessary information to establish the facts and obtain a speedy settlement of the dispute. He said it did not seem helpful to the council to debate the matter further.