U.N. MAKES CHOICE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32797, 23 December 1971, Page 13

U.N. MAKES CHOICE

• (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, Dec. 22. Dr Kurt Waldheim, the Ambassador of Austria, has been nominated by the Security Council to become the fourth Secretary-Gen-eral of the United Nations.

Dr Waldheim received 11 votes to one, with three abstentions. He has been the

leading candidate from the start of balloting on Friday, but had been vetoed until now. He will be appointed by the General Assembly today to succeed U Thant, whose term expires at the end of the year. DECISIVE VOTE

The breakthrough came with surprising suddenness at yesterday’s third executive session on the question. Delegates had gone into the meeting pessimistic about the outcome; fearing a Chinese veto of the Austrian diplomat.

In the number of affirmative votes cast, Dr Waldheim ran second to the Argentinian ambassador, Dr Ortiz De Rozas, who was vetoed by Russia.

Dr Ortiz De Rozas received 12 votes to three and the Finnish Ambassador /(Mr Max Jakobson) nine votes,

the minimum required majority. But of the five negative votes cast against Mr Jakobson one was a veto also. There was one abstention. informed sources said that Britain and China both cast abstentions in the balloting on Dr Waldheim's candidacy ENVOY SINCE WAR Dr Waldheim has stored up a vast knowledge of the United Nations in nearly 18 years as his country’s representative. In December, 1955, Austria won its seat and Dr Waldheim became the permanent representative. In the last seven years, he has interrupted his tenure only twice —from 1968 to 1970, when he Was Austrian Foreign Minister, and in 1971, when he unsuccessfully ran as candidate for the Austrian Presidency with the support of the conservative Peoples Party. “A HEAVY LOAD” Dr Waldheim is married with four children. A quiet, reserved man, he is known in Austria as the man with no enemies. He said yesterday that he had “very concrete and very Ann ideas” about how the Secretary-General should operate. But he would not reveal them, saying that he could not discuss matters of substance until the General Assembly approved his appointment. It was Dr Waldheim’s 53rd birthday yesterday, and be said it was a "rather heavy present” that the council had given him. “It will not be easy to carry. But. I will do my best to carry it in the right way."