Vishinsky Demands Human Rights Declaration Be Transferred to Political Committee

A demand that the Draft Declaration on Human Rights drawn up by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations should be transferred to the Political and Security Committee of the General Assembly, known as Committee One, from the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, which is Committee Three, was made today at the General Committee of the U.N. by Soviet delegate Andrei Vishinsky.

Following a suggestion by Roberto Jimenez of Panama that Committee Three take up the human rights declaration as its first order of business, Mr. Vishinsky said that the Soviet delegation felt that the declaration was more in the competence of Committee One since it was a matter of political rights and freedoms.

In response to an appeal for a ruling by Paul Henri Spaak, president of the General Assembly, U.N. Secretary Trygve Lie said that in his opinion under the terms of reference given committee Three, it should get the human rights proposal. Mr. Vishinsky disagreed with Lie, and suggested that the chairman of the two committees meet with the Secretary General and report back to the General Committee. This suggestion was adopted.

In an address to the General Assembly today, British delegate Philip J. Noel-Baker expressed the hope that the Assembly will draw up a bill of rights which will be a mandate for the Commission on Human Rights.

Stressing Panama’s interest in the human rights declaration, Mr. Jimenez recommended that the U.N. act to secure freedom of religion and equal rights for all, irrespective of race or religion, in every country throughout the world. “Everyone has the right to protection against arbitrary discrimination in the provisions and applications of the law because of race, religion, sex or any other reason,” he stated.