U.N.: Everybody Wins

The giving mood Russia has shown in Paris (see above) spread to The Bronx just in time to save the Security Council from another awkward split.

Ten of the eleven nations at the horseshoe table, including the three (France, Mexico, Poland) which had originally backed Russia’s demand for immediate U.N. action against Franco, supported Australia’s proposal for a five-man subcommittee to sift the facts on Spain and suggest by May 31 what “practical measures” U.N. could take. Andrei Gromyko said he “intensely disagreed” but would abstain, “realizing that my vote against the proposal would make its adoption impossible.” Gromyko thus reiterated Russia’s sweeping interpretation of the veto. Earlier, Russia had threatened another walkout from U.N. After the Council voted down 8-to-3 his demand that it drop Iran from the agenda, Gromyko said that Russia would take no further part in the discussions on Iran. Everybody had won—Russia most of all.