Cablegram UN870 NEW YORK, 16 September 1947, 11.46 p.m.
MOST IMMEDIATE SECRET
Assembly No. 21.
The session opened today. Election for President-Aranha received 26 votes, Dr. Evatt 23, invalid 6. Voting on second ballot was Aranha 29, Evatt 22, invalid 4.
2. This was a great tribute to Australia as almost every member outside Latin America voted for the Minister and he was defeated only by the casting vote of the Russian bloc. The Minister was offered the presidency of the Political Committee and would certainly have been elected if he had stood. However, he declined as he felt he could work more effectively as a national representative.
3. The following Committee Chairman were elected:
Political Bech of Luxembourg Economic Santa Cruz of Chile Social Lange of Poland Trusteeship Berendsen of New Zealand Administrative Fazle Ali of India and Legal El Khouri of Syria.
4. The five permanent members of the Security Council plus Mexico and Cuba were elected Vice-Presidents. Although we had made it known that we were not seeking a Vice-Presidency seven spontaneous votes were cast for us in the secret ballot.
5. Although we are not represented on the General (Steering) Committee we will be able to keep in close touch with developments there through New Zealand’s representative Berendsen.
_
_
[AA : A1838, TS852/9/3, i]