United Nations: Farewell to No. 20

Gauged by its paralyzed predecessor, the U.N.’s 20th General Assembly was a success: at least it was able to vote. But in performance, particularly on the key level of peace keeping, it was a lackluster gathering at best. As Assembly President Amintore Fanfani of Italy gaveled the session into adjournment last week, the 20th had proved unable to budge from the impasse over peace-keeping procedures left it by the 19th. However, it had:

>Passed a 7,000-word “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,” which has yet to be ratified by the U.N. member states but which is still, in Fanfani’s words, “of great moral significance.”

> Concurred unanimously on “The Inadmissibility of Intervention in the Internal Affairs of States,” an action that the Russians had hoped would condemn the U.S. for its stand in Viet Nam but which was broadened to include Communist subversion as well.

>Heard Pope Paul VI plead for “No more war, never again war!” in a rare and warming speech that was made doubly poignant by the U.N.’s inability to impede world conflicts.

> Displayed the immature emotionalism of many of its African members who, in protest over Rhodesia, walked out during British Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s address.

> Narrowed the gap on Red Chinese entry to the U.N. with a 47-47 Assembly vote, and raised the question whether the U.S. would be able to keep Pe king out for more than another year.

The 20th Assembly clearly reflected a fact long known and understood: Africans and Asians will vote together on such issues as decolonization, racial discrimination and economic development. On the major issues of war and peace, they will leave the decisions to the big powers. The only role the U.N. took in war and peace this year was over India and Pakistan, and there it was a tacit agreement between Russia and the West that cut off arms and supplies to the combatants and thus quelled the fighting.