New U.N. President Comes Under Fire

Press, Volume C, Issue 29625, 22 September 1961, Page 11

New U.N. President Comes Under Fire

(N.Z.PA.-Reuter — Copyright) NEW YORK, September 21. The South African Foreign Minister (Mr Eric Louw) bitterly criticised references to his country’s racial policy by the president of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday and declared that South Africa could have “no confidence in the impartiality of Mr Mongi Slim.” Mr Slim, of Tunisia, aged 52, was elected to the presidency yesterday and at once called for the “liberation” of all Africa. He deplored “the hideous spectre of racism” in some parts of the continent.

The Tunisian delegate obtained all but one of the 97 votes cast in the secret liallot for the presidency. There was one abstention, believed to have been by France, and two countries were absent.

The Indonesian delegate, Dr. All Sastroamidjojo, announced his withdrawal from the election before the vote. Press Statement In an extraordinary press statement, Mr Louw expressed “the shock of my delegation at the unprecedented and uncalled for action of the new president in attacking a member state of the United Nations in his first presidential statement,” Strict impartiality had always been regarded as the “prior and most important qualification of the president of any organisation—and particularly of the United Nations General Assembly,” he said.

This essential qualification was “obviously not present in the make-up of the new president,” Mr Louw said. “I would have imagined that Mr Slim would have profited by the meritorious examples of his distinguished predecessors,” he said. “Or is it perhaps just a natural lack of good manners? “Whatever be the reason. I need hardly say that the South African delegation can have no confidence in the impartiality of Mr Mongi Slim while he occupies the presidential chair of the United Nations Assembly.” Mr Louw quoted Mr Slim’s statement that “the people of South Africa must regain their full rights and dignity in their own country.” He said he had been unable to claim the right of immediate reply because the elections to other offices had followed immediately after the presidential inaugural statement.

As he did not know when he would be participating in the foreign affairs debate, he could follow no other course, but to reply in a statement to the press, Mr Louw added Hammarskjold’s Example Accepting office yesterday. Mr Slim spoke affectionately of the late Secretary-General, saying that he had fallen victim to his duty. Mr Hammarskjold's example inspired all who sought to Serve the international community, he said. Mr Slim warned members

of the difficult tasks that lay ahead, particularly in the Congo, but he said there was no problem that could not be settled by the “persistent efforts of men of goodwill.” Mr Slim said he would endeavour to serve with all the patience and impartiality that his predecessor (Mr Frodick Boland, of Ireland) had shown.

He said it was significant that this was the first time a “man of Africa” had been elected president, and said it was the concentration of Africa’s entry into the international scene. Mr Slim said that one of the biggest tasks of the assembly was to avoid the

threats of “apocalyptic conflagration,” which had reappeared. The task would not be an easy one, but with the cooperation of all members of the assembly and of the United Nations Secretariat, whose devotion was well known, the United Nations should be able to count on success.

Mr Slim said the serious questions facing the assembly included disarmament and the need to bring about a cessation of nuclear tests. African Aspirations Mr Slim said he hoped that more African peoples would soon achieve their nationhood, particularly Algeria and Angola.

The new president, deploring the “hideous spectre of racism” which, he said, still

persisted in some parts of Africa, said She people of South Africa must achieve their full rights in their own country.

He expressed the’hope that the assembly, which had opened “in the shadow of sorrow,” would end “in a sign of hope that the cause of peace will reign over mankind in freedom and justice.” By secret ballot, the Assembly chose Niger, Cyprus, Ghana, Czechoslovakia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Greece, Holland, the United States, Belgium, the Soviet Union, France and China to supply the .13 vice-presidents of the General Assembly. The president, the vicepresidents and the chairmen of the committees from the steering committee decided the allocation of agenda items to the various committees.

Ancient Castle Uncovered.— The remains of an ancient castle buried for 700 years have been uncovered by archaeologists in a field near the Welsh village of Llangarron. "The Times” has reported.— (London. September 21.)