STALEMATE ON U.N. POST

Press, Volume C, Issue 29638, 7 October 1961, Page 11

STALEMATE ON U.N. POST

U Thant Likely As Chief Executive <N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) NEW YORK, October 6. Diplomats looked for a break today in the stalemate over choosing a temporary Secretary-General for the United Nations, news agencies reported. The Soviet Foreign Minister (Mr Gromyko) said he might take up the question when he confers with President Kennedy in Washington.

Many diplomats are predicting U Thant of Burma will get the post.

The discussions between President Kennedy and Mr Gromyko will also help determine the outlook for EastWest negotiations over Berlin and Germany.

American sources say the President will give the Soviet Government through Mr Gromyko—a “clear picture’ l of Western willingness to fight, if pushed into a war, for Western rights in Berlin. He would also, the sources said, appeal, earnestly and solemnly, for a peaceful negotiated settlement without threats or talk of surrender. The United States and the Soviet Union were apparently agreed today on a nominee for acting Secretary-General, but were still apart on the number and functions of the officials who would be his top associates. These questions were understood to be the principal issues outstanding between the two sides.

U Thant, of Burma, continued to be the principal subject of speculation for the interim appointment. Western sources said they believed that agreement was possible and that the hiatus caused by the death of Mr Dag Hammarskjold might be filled before the middle of next week. A Soviet bloc source said agreement was “very near.” Intensive diplomatic consultations were continuing today in a bid to find EastWest accord on the composition and functions of the group of senior advisers that the new executive ' chief might appoint. The initial Soviet-proposed figure of three deputies, representing Communist, Western and neutralist camps, was understood to have been expanded and as many as seven or more such assistants were being mentioned.

The “New York Times” said the United States had “decided to acquiesce” in the election of U Thant as acting

Secretary-General, with two conditions. But Soviet sources said the Soviet Union would reject the conditions.

They were:— The temporary SecretaryGeneral must have four or five Assistant Secre-

taries - General, rather than the three suggested by the Soviet Union.

There must be public assurances that the acting Secretary-General must be free to consult his assistants when he saw fit, without compulsory consultation provided for in the Soviet formula.

But the entire situation was so “fluid” that the decisive phase was expected to come today when President Kennedy saw Mr Gromyko, in Washington, the “New York Times” said.

Much depended on the atmosphere at this meeting, one well-informed source told the newspaper's United Nations correspondent. If the United States showed a “conciliatory” attitude towards the Berlin question—the prime topic of the meeting—Mr Gromyko might ease his demands on the selection of the Secretary-General’s replacement. Mr Gromyko repeated as late as last night that three assistants to the SecretaryGeneral “are best,” the newspaper said. Communist sources told Reuter the Soviet Union was prepared to have the interim

Secretary-General appoint his own assistants and added that the Russians were prepared to see his powers limited only by the strict provisions of the Charter and the orders of the Security Council and General Assembly. But they did not make clear to what extent the temporary chief executive would have to refer to his assistants or deputies before taking major policy decisions. U Thant was expected to make known his willingness to serve as soon as agreement was obtained between the major Powers. Other African and Asian diplomats made no secret of their dissatisfaction with the present situation and their concern that the great Powers should speedily compose their difference. India’s resident representative (Mr C. S. Jha) said his Government was prepared to endorse a reasonable arrangement that had the “blessing” of East and West, and this was the view of many other delegates from the powerful Afro-Asian group which almost unanimously is opposed to any troika-style administration.