Formosa’s Seat In U.N. Challenged

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31379, 26 May 1967, Page 11

Formosa’s Seat In U.N. Challenged

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK, May 25.

Russia and five other States questioned the right of Nationalist China’s representative, Mr Liu Chieh, to preside over yesterday’s meeting of the Security Council on the crisis in the Middle East.

It was the second time in two days that Formosa’s right to membership in the United Nations had been challenged. On Tuesday, 30 delegations abstained on the vote to accept a report of the credentials committee recognising the Nationalist delegation. The report, however, was adopted. At yesterday’s meeting Russia’s chief delegate, Mr Nikolai Fedorenko, never addressed the chair directly. Instead, he opened each of his interventions in the debate with “Gentlemen members of the council.”

Facing away from Mr Liu, who is this month’s president of the council, he signalled his wish to take the floor by waving a yellow pencil.

Other countries whose representatives stated that they believe that Communist China was the only true representative of the Chinese people were India, Ethiopia, France and Denmark. Nine of the council’s 15 members, as it is at present constituted, represent countries that favour the admission of Communist China and the expulsion of the Nationalists.

It is the first time that they have commanded a majority of council members, and this was the first meeting of that body since the beginning of the year. A resolution supporting Communist China was defeated in the Assembly last year by a vote of 57, to 46, with 17 abstentions.