Waldheim quits U.N. race

Press, 5 December 1981, Page 1

Waldheim quits U.N. race

NZPA-Reuter United Nations The United Nations' Secre-tary-General. Dr Kurt Waldheim. has asked the United Nations’ Security Council to withhold his name from further balloting for his post, leaving Mr Salim Ahmed Salim, the Foreign Minister of Tanzania, as the only candidate.

Delegates to the United Nations said that the African States had refused to permit Mr Salim also to step aside so that other contestants might enter the race. Mr Salim was the choice of African heads of state for the Secretary-General’s post and the African nations felt that he had to remain a candidate pending further consultations.

The Council may have another round of balloting with Mr Salim’s name, the only one on the papers, but he appears likely to face yet another United States veto. China vetoed Dr Waldheim's candidacy 16 times. In a letter asking not to be included in further balloting. Dr Waldheim referred to the deadlock and spoke of "the greater interest of the organisation to which I am unalterably committed."

Dr Waldheim was surprised by China’s veto, which the Chinese reaffirmed on Thursday in a statement of total commitment to a Third World candidate for the job. The developments are believed to have improved the prospects for the job of previous outsiders, notably Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Mr Carlos Ortiz de Rozas. of Argentina. Diplomats said there were five other serious contenders, including an African. Mr Radha Krishna Ramphul, of Mauritius.

The 15-nation Security Council is expected to resume balloting next week. Dr Waldheim’s second term as Secretary-General expires on December 31. The United Nations' General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council. The matter has become urgent because the assembly is scheduled to rise on December 15. leaving little time to break the impasse which has lasted through balloting that began on October 27. It is the longest time taken by the council to choose a Secre-tary-General. A member of the council said that if the deadlock

persisted after other candidates had heen considered, Dr Waldheim's term might be extended.

The president of the council. Mr Olara Otunnu. of Uganda, said that he had suggested to both candidates that they step aside.

Mr Salim has failed to receive the required minimum of nine affirmative votes in 11 ballots in the council. Dr Waldheim was never short of the required majority and would have been nominated five weeks ago were it not for China's opposition. In his letter to Mr Otunnu, Dr Waldheim said. "As the members of the Security Council will recall. I made a public statement on 10 September in which I declared my availability to serve for another term as SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations. I had done so at the express request of a large number of member Slates after considerable reflection and out of a sense of duty. “Since that time the council has devoted several meetings to discharge itself of the responsibilities entrusted to it in this matter by the charter and I deeply appreciate the consistently broad support that I received in all ballots held so far. "However, the council has until now not been able to reach agreement on the recommendation to be made to the General Assembly. In these circumstances, and in order to facilitate the task of the council, I would ask that my name not be included in further ballots the council may hold. I am making this request in the greater interest of the organisation to which I remain unalterably committed."