Cablegram United Nations 572 NEWYORK, 29 October 1946, 11.40 P.M.
TOP SECRET
ASSEMBLY 49.
1. The following observations regarding elections to the Security Council [1] are submitted with a view to obtaining early instructions.
2. As previously reported Colombia and Syria have gained pre- selection by the Latin American and Arab groups respectively.
Public announcement of Indian candidate has raised the immediate question whether India is a direct rival to Syria or wishes to fill the third vacancy.
3. Countries of Northern and Western Europe wish to ensure that a member from that region succeeds Netherlands. Belgium seems to be the most likely candidate, Nor-way and Denmark are reluctant. This group is meeting shortly to decide on the candidate and will press their claims under criteria in the Charter.
4. Greece which lies outside the main democratic group in Europe and which has not received encouragement from the United Kingdom and United States, now appears to have abandoned hopes of election and will probably concentrate on seeking re-election to the Economic and Social Council, although she would be very happy to serve on the Security Council if possible.
5. Soviet intentions are unknown but there are no immediate signs that she is backing any European satellite. Yugoslavia is trying for re-election to the Economic and Social Council. Syria claims to have promise of Soviet support.
6. It appears that originally Latin Americans were ready to support the Arab nominee but the Indian announcement has reopened the question and several Latins tell us they have no commitment to Syria. Iran has sought instructions but the Delegation here is inclined to support India rather than Syria, chiefly in order to establish that the geographical region is Asiatic, not merely Arabic. Iran itself is no longer a candidate.
7. United Kingdom views were communicated in their telegram D. No.960. [2] For political reasons they will try to elect both Syria and India at the expense of Belgium. Canada leans towards support of India instead of Syria.
8. The United States slate is Belgium, Colombia and Syria. They doubt Indian stability.
9. India has asked for Australian support. We suggest that we should support India in preference to the Arab nominee both because of our own political relations with India and because Indian election would (a) Break down the Arab notion that their group have a permanent member (b) Establish the idea that the geographical area is not Levant but Asiatic region (on this aspect of the question, China, Iran and Ethiopia take a similar view) (c) Break down a tendency to think that two members of the British Commonwealth cannot be a member of the Council at the same time and that no state can be members of both Councils at the same time, and (d) Because India satisfies the criteria of the Charter better than Syria.
10. In general, we suggest we might support Colombia, India and a European state (either Belgium or Greece). Elections to the Security Council cannot be considered apart from the Economic and Social Council and while we will deal with the latter separately we can report that the tentative United States slate is Uruguay, New Zealand, Netherlands, Turkey, United States and either White Russia or Poland.
[AA:A1068, A47/15/3]
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1 See Volume IX, Document 70. The non-permanent members of the Security Council whose one-year terms were to expire in January 1947 were Egypt, Mexico and the Netherlands.
2 Addison had advised that the United Kingdom, though unable to make any ‘firm promise’, recognised ‘the strength of India’s claim to election to the Security Council’ but expected that, if unsuccessful, India would not compete against Canada for election the following year.
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