“The powers concerned” in complying with last year’s General Assembly resolution for the easing of tensions in the Middle East were given “great credit” today by Prince Wan Waithayakon of Thailand at the opening today at the 12th regular session of the General Assembly.
In a brief talk which was actually his swan song as president of last year’s Assembly, Prince Wan declared that the manner in which last year’s Middle East resolutions have met with compliance “redounds to the honor and good name of the powers concerned and their action is warmly appreciated by the world at large.”
“The United Nations Emergency Force,” Prince Wan continued, “has rendered signal services to the cause of peace by helping to restore tranquillity in this region. It has deserved well of the United Nations and we owe it a great debt of gratitude. May the tranquillity thus restored be turned, in spite of an overcast on the horizon into a more permanent condition of peace in due time.”
Prince Wan also declared that it was “a general source of satisfaction” that the Government of Egypt has accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in regard to disputes arising out of the Constantinople Convention of 1888 relating to passage of shipping through the Suez Canal.”
Sir Leslie Knox Munro was elected president of the 12thAssembly by a vote of 77 in favor with three absentions and one ballot cast for Charles Malik, Foreign Minister of Lebanon. Before the voting for the Assembly presidency Dr. Malik, whose delegation had previously staged a vigorous campaign on his behalf, withdrew from the race. However, a number of leading delegations including Washington’s, headed by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, virtually pledged themselves openly to vote for Dr. Malik as president of the General Assembly next year.
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