PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER 4 June 1974
Press Statement No. 255
AUSTRALIA TO SEEK PRESIDENCY OF U. N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEXT YEAR
The Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam, confirmed today's press
report that in ' March of this year, prior to the general elections,
Australia had begun actively to seek support for the candidature
' of the Foreign Minister, Senator Willesee, for the Presidency of
the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1975.
Mr Whitlam said that, on the assumption that
Senator Willesee would be re-elected to the Ministry and
reappointed as the Foreign Minister, the Government intended to
proceed with his candidature for the Presidency of the Assembly.
Mr Whitlam recalled that Senator Willesee had led the Australian
delegation to the General Assembly session last year, and was
alrea dy well known to many delegation leaders.
Mr Whitlan said that this action underlined the
importance which the Government attached to the United Nations in
its foreign policy and he recalled the constructive contributions
being made by Australia to the work of the United Nations. He noted
that in addition to its energetic support for the peacekeeping,
human rights, decolonisation, and economic and technical activities
of the United Nations, Australia is currently a member of the Security
Council and the Economic and Social Council which are major organs
of the United Nations under the Charter. As President of the
Security Council in October 1973, the Australian Ambassador to
the United Nations, Sir Laurence McIntyre, played an important role
in helping to achieve a ceasef ire resolution in the Middle East.
Australia's current term as a member of the Security Council ends
on 31 December this year.
Mr Whitlam said that the Government was determined to
maintain its forward-looking policies which had been so well received
in the United Nations.
Australia is a member of the Western European and Others
group in the United Nations, and it is the turn of that group to
nominate the candidate for the Presidency of the General Assembly in
1975. In March of this year preliminary soundings were started about
the possibility of the group endorsing Senator Willesee as its
candidate for the Presidency of the General Assembly in 1975.
Consultations with members of the group are continuing. The Prime
Minister recalled that Australia last held the Presidency of the
General Assembly in 1948/ 49 when the late Dr H. V. Evatt was President
of the Third Session of the General Assembly.
CANBERRA. A. C. T