Soviet Criticism Of Sir Leslie Munro

Press, Volume C, Issue 29637, 6 October 1961, Page 13

Soviet Criticism Of Sir Leslie Munro

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

NEW YORK, October 4.

Sir Leslie Munro, of New Zealand, was described by the Soviet Union today as “a servant of those who foster the cold war.”

The description came in the United Nations from Mr A. F. Sokirkin who protested against an appropriation of 13,000 dollars for the United Nations’s special representative on Hungary He told the General Assembly’s Budgetary Committee that in the first six months of 1981, Sir Leslie Munro ‘‘somehow contrived to get out of the organisation 8197 dollars.” Of this amount, 5200 dollars was for honorariums, 696 dollars for travel, 1500 dollars for assignments and 33 dollars for telephone calls and postage stamps, he said.

“What is all this for?” the Soviet representative asked. Referring to the special representative only as “Mr Munro,” he said that Sir Leslie Munro was “doing everything to perpetuate enmity between peoples.” Sir Leslie Munro, a former New Zealand representative at the United Nations and a past president of the General Assembly, was appointed over Soviet objections in

1958 to investigate conditions in Hungary in the wake of the 1956 revolt, but was unable to gain admission to the country. He has presented annua] reports to the Assembly on the situation.

The, appropriation of 13,000 dollars for Sir Leslie Munro 'was included in revised Budget estimates of 73,742,875 dollars for the year 1961 sub. mitted to the committee today.

This was 773,575 dollars more than the amount ap. proved by the Assembly last December. Most items in the revised Budget were approved by the committee without debate or objection, but Sir Leslie Munro’s appropriation went to a separate vote and was upheld by 51 votes to 12 with 17 abstentions.

Final action on the full estimates was deferred. Mr Sokirkin accused the Secretariat of violating “Budget discipline,” and said it should keep within the Budget as originally approved.