NO DECISION

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1946, Page 5

NO DECISION

CHAIRMANSHIP ISSUE NEW ZEALAND PROPOSAL DEBATED REFUSAL TO WITHDRAW (Rec. 11.55 a.m.) PARIS, August 2. The Rliles Committee of the Paris Conference discussed for several hours without a decision the New Zealand proposal limiting the permanent chairmanship of the conference to France as the host State, instead of the chairmanship rotating between the “Big Five” as recommended by the Foreign Ministers’ Council.

Mr. H. G. R. Mason (New Zealand) said that if there was any intention to draw a distinction between members or influence the conference through the chairman it would be deplorable. If the host Government presided, all would be in the same relation to'the chair and all suggestions of invidious distinction would be avoided.

French Opposition. Holland and Brazil supported the amendment, but M. Couve Demurville (France) opposed it, declaring that the decision to propose rotating the chairmanship among the “Big Five” arose from the consideration that since the Council of the Foreign Ministers convoked the Paris Conference and drew up the peace treaties, they should share the responsibilities of chairmanship. The Canadian delegate, favouring the amendment, said he did not think that French chairmanship would either reflect on the position of the. “Big Five” or affect the conference’s efficiency. Mr. Hector McNeil (Britain) said he did not like the principle that they should elect a chairman in order to honour a particular government. All the Foreign Ministers concerned were experienced chairmen. “I hope we shall get more into the frame of mind of being one and throw aside suspicions about our respective prestige and get on with the job,” he added. Dr. Evatt (Australia) said the idea of rotating the chairmanship was comparatively new. “It is quite inaccurate that the Big Five should be joint guides of the conference’s deliberations. This is not the proper approach,” he declared. Mr. Molotov urged that the procedure at the San Francisco conference of rotating the chairmanship should be followed. Committee Adjourns.

M. Demurville asked New Zealand, Holland and Brazil io withdraw the amendment, saying: “If France desired prestige, the signs of sympathy already given to the French delegation would be sufficient.”

New Zealand, Holland and Brazil refused to withdraw and the committee adjourned.