S/PV.1390 Security Council

Before the Security Council begins its work, I should like to exercise the prerogative, established by a long-standing and laudable practice, of paying a tribute to my predecessor in this post, Mr. Agha Shahi of Pakistan, who was President of the Security Council during the monthof January this year. 2. Mr. Shahi was called upon to preside in distinctly trying circumstances such as call for outstanding personal qualities in whoever is fulfilling the functions of President. The enlightenment, ability, patience, sagacity and diplomatic tact characteristic of Mr, Shahi were basic’ factors in reaching a unanimous decision on the illegal trial of South West Africans by South Africa, and in seeking formulas for a peaceful settlement of the second issue discussed by the Council in January. 3. I think of Mr. Shahi as an admirable example of the accumulated wisdom and sound sense of the ancient oriental civilizations; and I have no hesitation in saying that I personally have endeavoured to benefit from his example by observing how he handled this delicate task, 4. With these words, not eloquent but certainly very sincere, I am happy to pay this tribute on behalf of the members of the Security Council.

I am most grateful to you, Mr. President, for your kind and generous words about my modest efforts as President of the Council last month. 6. I should like to take this opportunity to express my sincere and grateful appreciation to all my colleagues in the Council for their unstinting and invaluable co-operation in the discharge of my responsibilities as President of the Council. Thanks to the continuing efforts and dedication of the members of the Council to the cause of peace, the Council was able to inject an element of restraint into a potentially explosive situation involving one or more of its permanent members. In particular, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to those members of the Council who expressed their readiness to commit their efforts and the influence and support of their Governments to finding a way out of the dangerous situation with which the Council was called upon to deal. 7. The Security Council has to continue the discussion of the question now before it on account of the arrogant defiance by the Government of South Africa of resolution 245 (196X), adopted on 25 January 1968. We are confident, Mr. President, that thanks to your wise and able leadership, your other outstanding personal qualities, and the great Latin American tradition that you represent, ive shall be able to address ourselves resolutely to the situation created by that Government’s defiance, and will take effective action to secure compliance with the Council’s will.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement he has just made and for waiving his right to consecutive interpretation, as well as for the generous words he addressed to me personally, 9. At the same time I wish to offer to all the members of the Security Council my most sincere apologies for the delay in beginning this meeting. You all know the reason for the delay. Consultations have been taking place, and I really believe that the time we seem to have lost actually represents time gained. 1 1 . Mr. BOUATTOURA (Algeria) (tratzsluted from French): I shall have an opportunity at a later stage of expressing the high regard which we all feel for Mr. Shahi, who presided over the Security Council during the month of January. But before we proceed to the adoption of the agenda, I should like to raise the following point: 12. At the 1378th meeting of the Security Council, in response to a question put to the Council by the Algerian delegation, the President of the Security Council asked the Secretary-General to preyare a study 011 the Council’s practice regarding its members’ credentials. May I ask what the present situation is in that connexion?

Contrary to my usual practice, I shall reply to the Algerian representative’s question in English. (The speaker conrinued it1 English.] 14. The report of the Secretary-General on the practice of the Security Council regarding the credentials of its members has been circulated to the members of the Council in document S/8365, dated 26 January 1968.

May I then ask when the Council will consider the report of the Secretary-General on the credentials of members of the Security Council? I should be very grateful for information from the President on this point.

The representative of Algeria, like any other member of the Council, is perfectly within his rights, under the rules of procedure, in requesting consi- 17. Having regard to the importance of the question submitted for consideration by fifty-eight States Members of the United Nations, I feel that we should consider today only the question contained in the provisional agenda for this meeting. The age& was adopted. The question of South West Africa Letter dated 12 February 1968 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the representatives of Chile, Colombia, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, United Arab Republic, Yugoslavia and Zambia (S/8397); Letter dated 12 February 1968 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the representatives of Afghanistan, Algeria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ceylon, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic of), Cyprus, Dahomey, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta and Yemen (S/8396 and Add.l/Rev.l and Add.2)

In view of the lateness of the hour, I suggest, if there is no objection, that the meeting should rise and reconvene at 4 p.m. The tneeting rose at 1.45 p.m.