Sir Leslie Munro On Limitations Of U.N.

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 14

Sir Leslie Munro On Limitations Of U.N.

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. July 7. The irresponsibility of certain of the smaller new members of the United Nations was one of the reasons that caused the organisation's use and role to be questioned. Sir Leslie Munro told the Alligators Club last night. In the problem of the preservation of peace, in the violence of the controversy over Katanga, in the preservation of United States interests m respect of Cuba and i« the security of Western Europe the value of tne United Nations was questioned Although disarmament was constantly discussed in the General Assembly. the main d.cusßaons took place among tlie four great Powers and •were not completely within the United Nations framework It was well known that certain important international problems endangering peace had been settled outside the United Nations, •aid Sir Leslie Munro The Americans and the

Russians made it clear that the United Nations was not a “supra-world” Power. The Assembly proceeded by recommendation. NATO itself was not a “supranational” body. Military enforcement measures could not be taken against a permanen* .United Nations member without its consent. Any of the great Powers could prevent such measures by invoking their right of veto » the Security Council. He doubted whether “uniting for peace” procedures could be effectively invoked against a great Power in the General Assembly. “Nobody in the Assembly proposed sanctions against the Soviet Union following its armed invasion of Hungary.” he said.

Soviet Trade Mission.— The Soviet trade mission due in Wellington yesterday to negotiate a most-favoured nation trade agreement will now arrive next Monday.—(P.A.)