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Mr Fraser spoke strongly against the United Kingdom suggestion and in favour of the one-year term. In view of the decision as to the second session of the General Assembly, he moved as an amendment to the report of the Sixth Committee that the deleted Supplementary Rule S be replaced by the following supplementary rule : " The provisions of Rule 82( x ) and Rule 85( 2 ) shall be suspended in their application to the first regular session of the General Assembly in order to permit the election of three non-permanent members of the Security Council, and six members of the Economic and Social Council in the second part of the first regular session of the General Assembly." He argued in support of this amendment that : (1) The adoption of any terms other than those laid down in Articles 23, 61, and 86 of the Charter would be unconstitutional, in that it would amount to an amendment of the Charter which had not been made in the approved manner : (2) The dangers of the <f lame duck" period had been overemphasized : (3) The report of the General Committee had insisted that its decision as to the next session of the Assembly was not to conflict with the conclusions of Committee Six on the question of terms of office of members of Councils. Later when the matter was discussed by the General Committee Mr Fraser referred to the breach of faith involved in the extension of term to twenty months, and he pointed out that New Zealand had withdrawn in favour of Yugoslavia on the basis of the eight-month term. The vote, when taken, resulted in a majority of 22 to 21 against the Committee's report, and confused discussion took place as to what was the effect of this vote and as to whether a two-thirds majority was required. Finally, the question was referred to the General Committee for clarification. Before the General Committee, Mr Fraser received the support of the United States delegation, and finally it was decided that the issue—eight, twelve, or twenty months—should be put clearly before the Assembly. The General Committee's report was approved by a small majority, including the United Kingdom delegate, but it was understood that the New Zealand delegate would move in the Assembly an amendment substituting twelve for twenty months in the resolution proposed. . This the New Zealand delegation subsequently did, and after a Uruguayan amendment in favour of eight months had been rejected (New Zealand voting against) the New Zealand amendment was

( 1 ) Rule 82 : " The General Assembly shall each year, in the course, of its regular session, elect three non-permanent members of the Security Council for a term of two years." ( 2 ) Rule 85 : " The General Assembly shall each year, in the course ol its regular session, elect six members of the Economic and Social Council for a term of three years."