VETO ISSUE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 25 May 1945, Page 5

VETO ISSUE

DISCUSSIONS AT UNCIO POWERS OF “BIG FIVE" QUESTIONS &Y SMALLER NATIONS New York, May 24. The small nations presented to the sponsoring Powers at UNCIO 22 questions designed to clarify the voting formula proposed at Yalta, says the correspondent of the “New York Times" at San Francisco. Though the questions are framed to remove some of the "Big Five’s" veto authority, the questions the small nations have not asked indicate their willingness to allow greater powers of veto than they seek to take away. It is clear that the small Powers are prepared to grant the ‘Big Five” the right to veto the following:— 1. The decisions to use armed force or diplomatic sanctions or take any other coercive action against an aggressor, even if one of the "Big Five” is the nation charged with aggression. 2. Decisions by the security council that fail to settle a dispute that constitutes a threat to peace, or after the security council has agreed that the dispute threatens peace, the adoption of measures by the league to deal with the threat. 3. Approval of special military agreements among Powers in making forces and facilities available so as to strenglhen any degree of readiness of the national forces that are to be held available for combined military action. 4. Plans for the application of armed force. OTHER VETO POWERS The "Big Five”'would also have the right to veto the following:— 1. Reference by the security council to the general assembly of any question relating to the maintenance of peace and security. 2. Admittance of new members. 3. Suspension or expulsion of members. 4. The restoration of a suspended member. 5. The formulation of plans for regulating armaments. 6. The creation of agencies through which the world organisation will work, including the creation of regional subcommittees and of the organisation’s military staff committee. 7. The conditions under which nonmembers of the organisation who are parties, to a dispute may come under the organisation’s jurisdiction, or become parties to the statute or to the new international court.

The correspondent of the Associated Press says the committee on regional arrangements accepted a proposal that, till the world organisation takes the necessary steps to ’ maintain peace, groups of nations may take mutual defence measures if any of their number is attacked.-The Latin-American Republics have already approved the formula as granting adequate recognition of the Pan-American defence system. This committee has now finished its work, except for action on the definition of collective security desired by Egypt. INTERPRETATION OF YALTA A Soviet representative told Britain, America and China that the Russians are willing to subscribe to a liberal interpretation of tee Yalta voting formula, but insisted that they could not agree to any alteration in the substance of the Yalta agreement. The Russian representative, in a long meeting with technical experts, indicated that the Soviet might be willing to forego certain rights of veto over the peaceful settlement of small nation disputes, but was adamant that the Yalta voting agreement should be carried out to the letter. There are indications that the four sponsor Powers will not answer the small nations’ 22 questions specifically. Instead, they will place a general explanation of the voting procedure before the conference.