Provisional Executive Council

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 307, 11 May 1945, Page 11

Provisional Executive Council

NY provisional executive council of the United Nations must afford the other members of the United Nations full right to share now in all non-military decisions. This provisional council should be composed of 11 members, including a member designated by each of the four major Allied powers, namely, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, and the U.S.; two additional members chosen by the group of European states; two additional members chosen by the group of American states; one by the group of Far Eastern states; one by the group of states of the Near and Middle East and of Africa; and one by the British Dominions. The members of the executive council representing the regional groups of states would be elected for a term of one year by all of the states comprised within that region, from a panel consisting of two nominees designated by each state within the regional group, such nominees being chosen from among the nationals of any of the states within that region. By using the regional system of representation the U.S., under the plan proposed, would be given one vote in the provisional united nations executive council and the United Kingdom would also be given one individual vote. In addition, the U.S. would have the right, as one of the sovereign republics of the Western Hemisphere, to participate in the election of the two representatives from this hemisphere. In the same manner the United Kingdom, in addition to its individual representative, would have the right to vote for the two regional representatives from Europe. It would also have the right to participate in the selection of a representative of British Dominions.