Cablegram 12720 LONDON, 31 December 945, 3.25 p.m.
TOP SECRET PERSONAL
Following information was obtained in various personal conversations at prompting of Dr. Evatt and is forwarded for submission to him on arrival. [1]
Presidency of Assembly. Salamanca [2] states Russians have objected to Spaak or any other Western European candidate. United States may now suggest Koo (China). Many Delegations feel, however, that small power should have presidency and Salamanca and Zuleta [3] still want you and believe you would commend yourself to all sections. United Kingdom favouring Spaak is only considerable influence against us. Salamanca still hopes for your attendance but it will be impossible to hold position beyond third or fourth.
Election to Security Council. General position was set out in Hodgson’s telegram 12645. [4] Gavrilovic (Yugoslavia) has again expressed himself favourably to Australia. While Soviet is silent itself my impression is they will not accept Latin American claim to two seats and will prefer Mexico to Brazil. They may also claim spare seat for Ukraine. Their general approach is to favour states which have contributed to victory and so far as Gavrilovic speaks for them they prefer Australia to Canada. Nevertheless Moscow Agreement on Atomic Energy associating Canada with studies whether or not a member of Security Council [5] may influence them to place Canada on Council as otherwise there would be two Dominions present whenever Atomic questions were being discussed. United States is sympathetic to us. I fear, however, that British views will gravely prejudice our chances of election.
Secretary General. Names now being canvassed include Spaak, Van Kleffens and Pearson. Soviet Group intends to put forward Stancje Simic Yugoslav Ambassador to United States and career Diplomat for past 20 years. He was Delegate at San Francisco and will be Delegate to Assembly. it appears to be generally accepted- (A) That Security Council recommendation is matter of substance and veto applies and (B) Consequently prior agreement among permanent Members will be necessary before Council can make recommendation. Therefore this question will in fact be settled politically outside Assembly.
Headquarters. As Member of Interim Committee Headquarters, I protested strongly against procedure by which selection was narrowed down to North Eastern corner of United States without adequate examination of evidence submitted re various sites but was outvoted by nine to one. Subject has been handled in peremptory way but our own record is clean.
Delegations. I venture to repeat views expressed before you left Canada re need for Ministerial representation on Australian Delegation. Subsequent events and composition of other Delegations reinforce arguments for your own attendance.
Permanent Representation at Headquarters. Results of enquiries re nature of possible Australian representation at United Nations Headquarters have been forwarded in two memos [6] to Department.
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1 Evatt was en route to Sydney from Vancouver after attending meetings of the Far Eastern Advisory Commission in Washington.
2 Carlos Salamanca, chairman of the Bolivian delegation.
3 Eduardo Zuleta Angel, Colombian representative and, in 1945, president of the United Nations Preparatory Commission.
4 See Volume VIII, Document 477, noting the U.K. Govt’s preference for Canada for election to the Security Council.
5 See Volume Vill, Documents 467 and 470.
6 in memoranda of 14 December (Volume VIII, Document 452) and 31 December 1945, Hasluck urged the appointment of a permanent representative, with appropriate rank, at the U.N. headquarters.
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[AA:A3195, 1946, 1.00013/39789]