United Nations Acting Secretary-General U Thant told newsmen in Brazil that the establishment of a U.N. fact-finding committee to inquire into the whereabouts of Nazi criminals in South America cannot be considered, since the point is not on the agenda of the forthcoming General Assembly session, it was revealed here today.
Mr. Thant’s comment was made in reply to a question asked him during a press conference at Rio de Janeiro, where he was visiting. A Brazilian newspaperman, referring to the recent anti-Semitic outbreaks in Argentina and Uruguay, asked “whether the United Nations intended to do anything about that or to find out, by the establishment of a fact-finding committee, where Nazi criminals now are.” Mr. Thant replied:
“According to the Charter and rules of procedure, the United Nations can consider an item which is inscribed on the agenda of its sessions by a member of the U.N. The matter under discussion is not on the agenda, since the item has not been brought to the attention of the General Assembly or of any of the organs of the United Nations. Therefore, the United Nations is not in a position to consider this question.”
However, it was pointed out here today that an item dealing in general with “manifestations of racial prejudice and national and religious intolerance” is on the agenda of the Assembly scheduled to convene September 18. The item does not mention the specific points made in the question put to Mr. Thant at Rio de Janeiro.
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