Waldheim tipped to keep job

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 8

Waldheim tipped to keep job

NZPA-Reuter New York The United Nations Security Council will try again today to select the world body’s next secretary-general after four rounds of balloting yesterday failed to endorse a candidate.

Although the vote by the 15 Security Council members was in secret, delegates said there was no doubt that China had vetoed the incumbent, Dr Kurt Waldheim, four times while the United States had twice blocked his challenger. Salim Ahmed Salim.

Mr Salim, aged 39, who is Tanzania's Foreign Minister, is the official candidate of the Organisation of African Unity and has also been endorsed by the non-aligned movement.

He has China’s backing but the United States is wary of his reputation as a radical activist.

Some diplomats predict a protracted struggle in the council but others said they felt the Chinese, having made their point on behalf of the Third World, would let Dr Waldheim through for an unprecedented third term. Javier Perez de Cuellar, of Peru, was named last night as a possible choice if the council remained deadlocked.

A source close to Mr Salim said he had no intention of withdrawing and expected to do better in the resumed balloting than he did yesterday, when his support diminished sharply after the first two rounds. He led Dr Waldheim 11 to 10 in affirmative votes in the first round but that position was exactly reversed in the second round, while in the third and final rounds Dr Waldheim received 10 affirmative votes each time, to eight and six for Mr Salim. Although Mr Salim’s supporters were disappointed at his dwindling support, Dr Waldheim’s aides were also frustrated by the opposition their candidate received from China. The Chinese vetoed Dr Waldheim in 1971 and 1976 but relented both times to allow him to be elected to office.

Because of the power of veto the choice of secretarygeneral is primarily a council matter and there is no precedent for the General Assembly’s rejecting the council’s nominee.

The permanent members of the council, each having the power of veto, are Britain. China, France, the Soviet Union and the United States.