S/PV.752 Security Council

In taking over the Presidency, 1 wish to paya well-deserved tribute to the retiring President, Mr. Cornut-GentiUe, Ambassador of France, for the authority, tact and courtesy he has shown in presiding over the difficult meetings the Couneil has held. 1 regret that his state of health still does not allow him to be present with us today and 1 am sure that 1 am interpreting the feelings of aH the members of the Couneil in requesting the French representative to convey to Mr. Cornut-Gentille our very best wiJhes for a speedy recovery.

1 wish to thank you for the kind words you have just spoken about Mr. Cornut-Geutille. 1 shall convey to him your w!shes for his recovery and the regret you have voiced at his absence today. He too deeply regrets that he is unable to be with u.s today. His health is still not very good, but it is improving and he will, 1 hope, soon be able to resume his place at the Couneil table. Adoption of the agenda

Before we proceed to the adoption of the agenda, 1 think it is my duty to offer the members of the Couneil an explanation. The letter sent by the representatives of France, the United Kingdom and the United St~es [S/3723] requesting an urgent meeting of the Security Couneil reached me at 1 o'dock this afternoon. In view of the urgency of the matter and the fact that the Couneil was already seized of it, 1 had no·choice but to convene the Couneil. 1 regret that it was materially impossible 1 The agenda was adopted by 10 votes to 1. Letter dated 27 October 1956 from the representatives of France, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America to the President of the Secmity Councll conoorning the situation in Hungary (S/3690) 7. The PRESIDENT (translated from French): In accordance with the decîsion taken by the Couneil at its 746th meeting, 1 invite the representative of Hungary ta take a place at the Couneil table. Mr. Szabo, representative of Hungary, took a place at the Couneil table. 8. The PRESIDENT (translated from French): 1 call on the representative of China on a point of order. 9. Mr. TSIANG (China) : It is true that at a previous meeting of the Couneil a representative of Hungary was asked to participate in the debate. Mr. President, have you any assurance that the person invited does represent the Government of the Hungarian Republic? Please give us any assurance in regard ta his representative character.

1 should like to hear the views of the other members of the Couneil on this point. 1 believe, however, that in the absence of evidence to the contrary we are supposed ta accept the representative of a country as long as his status has not been disapproved. . 11. Mr. LODGE (United States of America): 1 should like to ask that the credentials of the gentleman who is sitting in the seat ûf Hungary be submitted to the Couneil sa that we can see whether he does in fact represent the Hungarian Government. 15. 1 have just been informed by the Legal Office that a cable has been received from the Hur:garian Government appointing Mr. Janos Szabo as representative at the emergency speeial session of the General Assembly which opened yesterday. The ~able reads as follows: "His Excellency Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary- General of the United Nations: "1 have the honour to inform you that Mi. JanDS Szabo, ii'irst Secretary of the Permanent Mission, will repre~ent the Hungaria:ü People's Rcpublic at the special session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to be convened on N(wember 1, 1956 at New York." 1t was signed by Imre Nagy, the Prime Minister and the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

1 should like to read ruies 14 and 15 of the rules of procedure and then propound a question. Rule 14 st.ates : "Any Member of the United Nations not a member of the Security Couneil and any State not a Mer.ber of the United Nations, if invited to participv,te in a meeting or meetings of the Secuïity CQuncil, shaU submit credentials for the representative appointed by it for this purpose. The credentials of such a representative shaU he communicated to the Secretary- General not less than twenty-four hours before the, first meeting which he is invited to attend." Rule 15 states: "The credentials of representatives on the Security Couneil and of any representative appointed in accordance with Rule 14 shaH be examined by the Secretary- General, who shaH submit a report to the Security Couneil for approval." In the light of thosc two mIes, 1 just raise the question whether this gentleman here on my left is qualified to sit at this session for this purpose.

1 should like to reply to the objection which has been raised by Mr. Lodge. 1 was aware of the two rules of our roles of procedure mentioned, but as the Couneil was caUed on only three hours' notice, it was very difficult to ask the representative of a country to submit his credentials twenty-four hours before the meeting. It was

The statement just made by the President answers the point l was trying to make. l was about to draw attention to rule 16 of the rules of procedure, which provides that nending the approval of the creden'ia:s in accordance ~ith rule 15, such representative shaH De seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives. 20. l have a slight doubt-and this would be within the President's judgement-as to whether it would be proper to provide that until the credentials have been verified the representative should merely sit at the table and not speak. The rule seems to me to provide that he should have the same rights as other representatives.

l +1..ink the President's suggestion is the appropriate one in the present circumstances. .

At a previous meeting [746th meeting] the Security Council adopted a decision. to invite the representative of Hungary to take part in the consideration 01 this item. That decision still stands, and the representative of Hungary is entitled to sît at tbis table. 23. In connexion with the President's suggestion, l should like to draw attention to rule 17 of the Security Council's rules of procedure, which reads : "Any representative on the Security Council, to whose credentials objection has been made within the Security Council, shaH continue to sit with the same rights as other representatives until the Security Council has decided the matter." 24. The PRESIDENT (translated tram French) : Before stating my views, l should prefer to hear the views of the other members of the Council. 25. Mr. BELAUNDE (Peru) (trm.slated trom Spanish) : Rule 17, which the USSR representative has just read out, is admittedly quite explicit. Nevertheless, l think that the President's suggestion imposes a moral duty on the representative of Hungary. Moreover, the representative of Hungary will of course only be entitled to speak after the members of the Council have stated their views. It seems ta me therefore that without invoking any hard and fast rule, discretion on the part of the Chair, of the representatives proposing to speak, and of the Hungarian representative should enable us to dispel the doubts which sorne delegations entertain. 26. l would therefore suggest that we adopt the President's suggestion without specifically challenging rule 17. 29. We know of course why role 17 was drafted and the pUfPOse it was designed to fulfill. It was drawn up only because, a.c; we all know, there was a discussion regarding the legality of the representation of a permanent member of the Security Couneil. The pUrPQse of this role was to allow the representative concerned to continue discharging his duties as long as his credentials were not declared imTalid. 30. The role was not intended to apply to a case where a Member State was invited to appear at one meeting or at one session. The relevant role in such a case is role 14, and the credentials must be submitted before the meeting; as lonp' as they are so submitted, it is immaterial whether t. ~y are submitted one minutto or twentyfour hours in advance. 31. 1 would nevertheless agree, as a compromise measure, to accept the President's suggestion that the Hungarian representative should not make a statement-that is aIl he is here for since he has no right to "Jote-until the Secretariat reports to us on the validity of his credentials. This is in accordance with role 14, which, in my delegation's opinon, is the only one that applies to this question. 32. MI'. BRILEJ (Yugoslavia): In view of the fact that three members of the Couneil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, felt that the situation in H unga.y was so critical that they deemed it necessary to cc,iU for an emergency meeting of the Security Couneil, 1 vmuId suggest that we should also apply the emergency rule of procedure, namely role 17. This rule says that "any representative on the Security Couneil"-and 1 understand that to mean any representative and not only any member of the Security Couneil-"shall continue to sit with the same rights as other representatives ...". 33. It seems to me that in accordance with the agenda which we have already adopted, we are going to discuss the situation in Hungary. In my opinion it would not be proper to discuss t:h question in the absence of the representative of the Hungarian Governm '~nt. It 5eems to me that it would not he proper to punish the Hungarian Government because it did not send credentials twenty-four hours in advance for a meeting which was called within three hours. 34. Therefore, it is my opinion that we should either recognize the representative of Hungary here to participate in our deliberations with the same rights as any representative, or adjourn the meeting. 5 43. Ml'. BELAUNDE (Peru) (translated /rom Spanish): 1 wish to press my proposai, which seems ta be the only practical one. It is a realistic suggestion, which wou!d leave the question to the discretion of the President and thus eliminate the embarrassing legal problems of applying the roles of procedure. If there is no objection, therefore, 1would ask the Australian representative whether he really feels bound to in5ist on his proposai; if he does not, the President might ask the delegations ta state their views. Procedural debates are generally unrealistic and if we search for an ideal solution we may not find it, and may only waste tim~. 44. 1 therefore make a fonnaI proposaI that we leave the matter in the bands of the President. In fact, to save time, 1 sh0uld like to ask the President to put my suggestiofi to a vote. 45. The PRESIDENT (translated from French) : If there is no objection to the Peruvian representative's proposai, 1 do not think it will he necessary to take a vote. If anyone objects, 1 shall put the pr'::posal to the vote without further debate. The proposal was adopted. 46. Ml'. LODGE (United States of America): Only yesterday the General Assembly met in an emergency session to consider the grave crisis in Egypt, and its members demonstrated a remarkable degree of unanimity in calling for a cessation of hostilities there. The danger of this situation has not lessened, and we must continue to give it our close attention, but at the same time the world community cannot afford to ignore the equaIly urgent and dangerous situation that is developing in Hungary. It cannot stand idly by white the people of Hungary are engaged in a desperate struggle to protect their nationallife. , 47. The application of the principle of peace with' justice cannot be restricted to one geographical area at a time. It is a universal principle that must be upheld in ail cases and at aIl times. 48. Events in Hungary appear to have moved swiftly since the Council voted last Sunday [746th meeting] to place on its agenda the item entitled "The situation in Hungary". We must give honest consideration to what the United Nations can do now to assist the brave Hungarial.l people in their struggle for freedom. We must now get ail the facts, so that whatever we do will be dûne in a sUïe-footed way and will be re-atly heIpful. 49. We can certainly set down today that the use of anned might by the SOviet Union to repress the legitimate demands of the people of Hungary for respect for the fundamental human rights secured to them by the 7 51. In 1918, the insistence of the United States upon recognition of the principle of national self-determination prepared the way for the independent democratic republics of Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. For nearly two decades the sympathy of all freedom-loving peoples has gone out to the nations of eastem Europe whnse legitimate aspirations were suppressed, first by the Nazis and then by the presence of Soviet troops. 52. During this past week, in particular, we have watched the valiant struggle of the Hungarian people, from the fragmentary reports wbich have come to us, to assert their right to an independent national existence. Unfortunately, despite the c1ear desire of the Hungarian people, it is at this moment still unclear whether the Soviet Union wiH respond to their legitimate requests. It is sad to state this, but we have heard reports-and they come persistently-that new Soviet troops have entered Hungary, and tbis makes the situation unclear, if not full of dark forebodings. 53. It is true that wc have had the encouraging news, announced by the Soviet Union on 30 October, of what appears to he a significant modification in the relations hetween the nations of eastem Europe and the Soviet Union. That announcement emphasized that the countrie~ of the great commonwealth of socialist nations could build their relations only on the principle of full equality, respect for territorial integrity, State independence and sovereignty, and non-interference in one another's domestic affairs. That was the Soviet statement of 30 October. 54. It then went on to say that the Soviet Union ••as ready to examine with the other socialist Govemments parties to the Warsaw Pact the question of the Soviet troops on their territory. This statement was amplified by an explanation indicating that the stationing of troops of one State party to the Warsaw Pact on the territory of another State party took place on the hasis of an agreement between aU its participants and only with the agreement of that State on the territory of which, at its . request, troops were stationed or to be stationed. 55. With particular respect to Hungary, the statement said that the Soviet Union had instructed its military command to withdraw Soviet army units from Budapest 56. On 31 October, in a historic address broadcast in this country, President Eisenhower referred ta the dramatic events in Hungary, where the brave people had "so often in the past offered their very lives for independence from foreign masters". While he noted the obscurity of the present situation, he emphasized that "if the Soviet Union indeed faithfully acts upon its announced intention, the world will witness the greatest forward stride towards justice, trust and understanding alnong nations in our generation". 57. Yesterday there were reports of more significant developments in Hungary. Budapest Radio announced that the President of the Council of Ministers, Imre Nagy, in his capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, had summoned the Soviet Ambassador to Hungary to protest in the strongest terms against the entry of additional Soviet troops into Hungary. 58. There you see the contrast between the statement that 1 quoted, which is purported to have been made by the Soviets, on the one hand, and the statement of the Hungarian Foreign Minister on the other. In faet, Mr. Nagy went even further and demanded the immediate withdrawal of all Soviet forces. According to the reports we have, the Soviet Ambassador was informed of Hungary's repudiation of the Warsaw Pact and of the declaration of Hungary's neutrality. 59. These reports are known to all of us because they were communicated to all of us last night. At the same time the Government of Hungary sent an urgent communication to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which has now been circulated to all Members as a document [AI3251p. In addition to reporting the above events, it requested the inclusion in the agenda of the forthcoming session of the General Assembly of the question of the Hungarian Government's neutrality and the defence of this neutrality by the four great PoWers. Of course, it is just as plain as it can be that we cannot ignore such a plea. 60. Events have moved so fast that we understand that arrangements made the other day to send new representatives to New York to represent Hungary have been cancelled. We believe, however, that the Council could best be assisted in its efforts to help Hungary if a representative of that State participated in our deliberations, and 1 think we should consider having the Secretary-General communicate with the Hungarian Government with a view to having a representative of the Government of Hungary appear before the Security Council as soon as possible. The situation in --Tung-ary is so confused that it is necessary to compl)' Wi, an the provisions of the rules in order to protect the interests of Hungary and of the Security Council as regards the 1 Official RC'cords of tlze GC'IIeral Assel11bly, Secol/d EmrrgC'l/cy Special SessiolJ, Annexe, agenda item 5. 9 61. 1 therefore think that that should be the next step : to ascertain the facts. In helping the Hungarian people we must, above all, act with knowledge of the facts, and then the action that we take will be constructive and will be in the interests of peace and justice and national independence. 62. Mr. NU~EZ PORTUONDO (Cuba) (translated /rom Spanish) : As can be seen from the official records of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly, 1 have time and time again, over a period of more than five years, been the humble mouthpiece of Cuba, raising its voite in vehement protest against the situation confronting the peoples of Hungary, Poland, Romania and Albania, aIl victims of the most cruel dictatorship and bloody tyranny organized by the Government of the Soviet Union. 63. 1 have frequently stated specifie facts, taken a stand and traced the background of events, only to be called a slanderer. Now that events have borne me out, 1 can express the joy and exhilaration felt by the people of Cuba, with their traditional love of freedom, at the news that the Hungarian people have tried to break their chains and to become masters of their own destiny. 64. 1 also welcome the news-since Cuba has fought hardest to this end in the United Nations ~neral Assembly-that the Primate of Hungary, unjustly and crue1ly imprisoned for more than six years and sûbjected to every form of torture and inhumanity, has now been released. In my opinion, this event must be joyfully hailed by aIl mt.'n of good win throughout the world. 65. In the case we are discussing, none can allege that the Couneil has insuffieient evidence at its disposai. ln the first place, we have the sinister and monstrous fact that more than 20,000 Hungarians have lost their lives fighting for freedom against the troops of the Soviet Union, which are foreign troops on Hungarian sail. We also have an authentic official document which gives an unglossed account of what is happening in Hungary. The President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs has sent the Secretary- General the following telegram: UReliable reports have reached the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic that further Soviet units are entering into Hungary. The President of the Councii of Ministers, in his capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, summoned Mr. Andropov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Soviet Union to Hungary, and expressed his strongest protest against the entry of further Soviet troops into Hungary. He demanded the instant and immediate withdrawal of these Soviet forces. He informed the Soviet Ambassador that the Hungarian Government 66. In othei words, the facts are as follows: Hungary, a Member of the United Nations whose territory is being invaded by foreign troops, which are endeavourin: to prevent the Hungarian people from discarding the chains of brutal tyranny, is appealing to the United Nations for help in accordance with the clear and explicit principles of the Charter. 1 cannot believe that the representative of any Member State-not even the representative of the Soviet Union, who yesterday, in the General Assembly,2 spoke eloquently in favour of the self-determ:.'lation of peoples and against armed intervention-ean object to the United Nations acting to defend the rights of the Hungarian people. 67. Yesterday the Cuban delegation voted in the General AssemblyS in favour of the draft resolution submitted by the United States of America [A/3256], despite the close ties of friendship which bind us with the Powers concemed. We did so because the Cuban delegation believes, and has repeatedly stat~d here, that the Member States of the United Nations cannot be divided into those which comply with the precepts of the Charter and those which disregard them, or into those which abide by the deeisions of the Security Council and of the General Assembly and those which ignore them. For this reason, we are again prepared to support any draft resolution designed to put an end to a state of af!airs which shames the human race and cannot be accepted by the free peoples of the world. 68. The Cuban delegation believes that a draft resolution should be submitted as soon as possible, stating at least the three basic requirements which must be met. In the first place, it should contain an urgent ap~al to the Government of the Soviet Union to withC1raw its troops from Hungarian territory; this is in keeping with the provisions of the United Nations Charter. Secondly, it should expressly state, or rather reiterate, that the Hungarian people have the unquestionable right to determine, "through free elections, the system of govemment under which they wish to live. Thirdly, it should provide for the establishment of a Security Couneil commission to supervise the position and to report on compliance with measures adopted by the Couneil to ensure the national independence and politica1 freedom of the Hungarian people. 69. To the Hungarians, who are struggIing and will continue to struggle-as they have always done-I wish to express the fervent support of the Cuban people. Our little country too struggled for many years to secure its Îttdependence, and in the present crisis we think of our- 2 Ibid., First Etnergency Special Session, Plenary Meetings, 562nd meeting. 8 Ibid. 71. In the face of this ret asal by my Soviet colleague to recognize the se- 10U~.::'';S of the situation in Hungary, it was obvious l.hat the situation wouid have to be brought hefore the Security Couneil again at an early date. As the United States Secretary of State remarked not many hours ago in another place, we should not allow our preoccupation with the Middle East to the exclusion of assisting the S18te of Hungary to reg~_in its independence. 72. During the few days which have elapsed since the Couneil last considered this question, the situation in Hungary has developed at a very rapid rate. Members of the Couneil will forgive me if 1 refer briefly to the sequence of events in Hungary during this period. On 28 Octoher, the same day as that on which the Security Couneil met, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Mr. Nagy, in a broadcast which was quoted by the representative of Australia at that meeting [746th meeting], promised the Hungarian people that he would secure the withdrawal of all Soviet troops from Hungary. It would seem that for forty-eight hours Of so after that the Soviet troops continued fighting both in Budapest and in the country districts. 73. Finally, on 31 October, there began to be indications that the Soviet troops were complying with the wishes of the Hungarian Government. There were reports that Soviet troops and tanks were withdrawing from Budapest, but even then, however, it would seem that the fighting in the country districts continued fiercely, with no attempts being made by the Soviet troops to withdraw. It did seem, however, as though the Soviet Government was at last recognizing that it could no longer ignore the Îact that the entire people of Hungary had revolted against it and as though the Soviet Union was about to abandon its attempts to keep the people of Hungary in sen;tude by use of force. However, at that moment, just when it seemed that the Soviet Union might he taking steps to remedy the position, the Hungarian Prime Minister announced that further Soviet units were entering Hungary. Mr. Nagy said that he had protested strongly to the Soviet Am- 74. The information concerning the situation which we received earlier today, that is, 2 November, is that in the past few days large numbers of tanks have moved into the country, and that sorne of these have moved to the neighbourhood of Budapest. It seems that Budapest is being ringed by Soviet concentrations of armour on the outskirts of the city. 75. 1 would go back for one moment to add, for the record, that the statement made by the Prime Minister of Hungary on behalf of the Hungarian Government, in the cablegram addressed to the Secretary-General, is welcomed by my Government. 76. Finally, it is the hope of Hel' Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that even at this iate stage the Soviet Government will recognize that it is for the people of Hungary to arder their own destiny and that the Soviet policy of armed interference in Hungary's internaI affairs is a bankrupt one. 77. Ml'. BELAUNDE (Pern) (translated from Spanish) : When the Security Council last met to dea1 with the situation in Hungary, the Peruvian delegation restrained its feelings regarding the brutal measures of repression taken by Soviet troops against the Hungarian liberation movement. It only sought to prove, by pointing out the legal aspects of the agreements existing between Hungary and the Soviet Union, that the Soviet Union had no right to use such of its forces as might be stationed in Hungary for the purpose of quelling any revolutionary movemellt. 78. 1 should recall that, from the Soviet point of view, this argument, which was supported by the \representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom and a number of other countries besides Pero, was absolutely unanswerable. Under article 8 of the Warsaw Pact, the Soviet Union could not use its troops, evcn though their presence in Hungary might have been lawful or ostensibly lawful under the agreement on the Establishment of Joint Command, to intervene in the internaI affairs of Hungary. 79. 1 concluded my statement with a respectful request to the USSR representative to communicate to his Govemment that it should abide by the existing conventions between the Soviet Union and Hungary, withdraw its troops and give the Hungarian people an opportunity to organize a government in accordance with the right of self-determination. 80. Siuce 1 made that statement, alarming news of the events in Hungary have continued to reach my country. l have now received specific cabled instructions from the 82. Rooted in our heritage is a profound respect, a religious devotion for the principle of self-determination. rhis principle has been the American continent's great- ;:st contribution to internationallaw. Even though it was .iirst formulated by sorne European authorities, it was most strikingly carried into effect and accepted as a creed in the Spanish-American continent, which had inherited Spanish law. 83. Consequent1y, the problem for us is not only an emotional one and one which we must approach in a manner consistent with the spirit of the times and the principles of the Charter; for us, it is a problem which goes to the very raots of our national life and reminds us fordbly of our ideals and the part which we have played in history. This should explain our interest, which the Soviet Union itself should surely appreciate, in searching for a solution. 84. The news which is reaching us is extremely alanning. 1 cherished the illusion, after the events in Poland and this tremendous mass uprising of an entire people, that the realistic spirit of the Soviet leaders would dictate a cautious policy, iL101ving, to sorne extent, an honourable abandonment of what has come to be called the Stalinist scheme of creating a vast European empire embracing nations whose national characteristics, as reflected in their history, traditions, culture, language and religion, are totaHy distinct from those of the Soviet Union. 87. After the death of Stalin there seemed to be sorne prospect of a change in the domestic policy of the Soviet 85. We may recall that Hungary, which had been part of a dual monarchy, became a distinct juridical entity in 1918. It was one of the tragic results of the Second World War that Hungary, instead of having the opportunity freely to select a government of its choice and the foreign policy which it wished to follow, came completely under the domination of the Soviet Union. 86. This has been cne of the causes of the state of anxiety which has prevailed in the world since 1947. To sorne extent, the situation in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania, aU of which had lost sorne of their national personality, or had changed their national personality, and had become part of a general imperialistic system, is the principal reason why the United Nations has been unable to take effective action; the Council has been unable to function normally and .this par~lysis in the Council presented the General Assfmbly with serious difficulties. l 88. At this moment we may be witnessing such Il change of policy. 1 say so objectively and with a feeling of hope. We should certainly favour any new course which the USSR might decide to follow in this matter. It was in this spirit of hope and illusion that we hailed the reforms carried out in l'oland. Yet the first dispatches on the liberation movement beginning ta take shape in Hungary teU only of arbitrary, bloody and brutal repression. 89. What could the United Nations do? 90. The United Nations Charter repeatedly refers to the right of self-determination. The United Nations is a family of nations. It is not merely a family of "States", but a family of "nations", the concept of a "nation" is wider than that of a "State", in that it adds the idea of a spiritual community and of moral personality. In this case, the country concerned is not a new creation established for purely political or economic reasons but an international entity of great antiquity and with a glorious historical past, which fought for its independence, back in 1848, despite the fact that it was offered the position of an equal partner in an empire enjoying ageold traditions. Can the United Nations accept the present situation? Mankind has admittedly had to accept it for a prolonged period; our protests have been of no ~lVail and the tragic situation created after the Second World War has remained unchanged. The Second World War did not end as it should have done, with a guarantee of independence for an countries which had been distinct entities before the war. Yet, when we recall aIl this, how can the United Nations remain indifferent to this cry for liberty, this calI addressed to the United Nations, in the telegram which the Cuhan repres~ntative has read out, from the Government of Hungary itself? This calI was not made solely to us ; it reaches aU mankind, which sees in it an appeal for the restoration of those Hungarian national and traditional institutions respected throughout history. 91. A community must consider the memLers who compose it as sacred and inviolable. One of my own thoughts in proposing the admission of Hungary to the United Nations W9.:': ::!at, whatever might be the defects of the Hungarian Government at that time, governments pass but nations remain. 1 felt that the time would come when the ephemeral government "'·....uld disappeal,' and we would have here representatives of the Hungarian nation speaking for a freely elected Government. ~3. This is my view. 1 know that events are moving fast. 1 know that we are receiving conflicting reports. Nevertheless, leaving aside past events, it is a fact that there is renewed danger of a new Soviet intervention in Hungary. We have received a direct complaint regarding this danger. What then should we do? 94. 1 believe that we have a clear moral duty and an equally c!ear legal duty. 1 should add, since we are here in the Security Council, that we also have a political duty. These three duties can fortunately he discharged simultaneously because they rest on solid ground. They derive from the existence and glorious past of Hungary and from the presence of Hungary in the United Nations today. 95. The position would be the same even if Hungary were not a Member of the United Nations. The universality of the United Nations extends, as far as the principles and purposes of the Charter are concerned, to States which are not Members. The principles and purposes are clearly stated as obligatory for all States or nations. 96. Speaking with the deepest possible moral conviction and a firm belief in the rule of law and political rectitude, the Peruvian delegation is proud to associate itself whole-heartedly with the statement by the representative of Cuba regarding the three points which any resolution that we adopt must contain. We must look beyond the principles embodied in the Charter concerning non-intervention and self-determination and condemning the use of force. We must also look at the provisions of agreements which were in force until yesterday. 1 say yesterday because the Warsaw Pact has since been denounced by a voluntary act on the part of Hungary. We then see that we have the right and the dutY to ask, and indeed demand-for the ward is not offensive coming from a higher authority-that the Soviet Union should immediately withdraw its forces and desist from impeding the Hungarian people in their free determination of their own destiny. 97. Compliance with a dutY is normally dictated by considerations of personal interest. As the English proverb tells us, "Honesty is the best policy". In this case, 98. The question of Hungary is, therefore, a matter which we regard as of paramount importance. As far as the American peoples are concerned, it touches the very soul of our national life and our traditional devotion to the principle of self-determination. For the United Nations, it is a vital problem; it is flesh of its flesh, blood of its blood, and soul of its sout Regardless of the government which represents it, Hungary is one of us. It is a part of us. It contrihutes its fine historie traditions ta the United Nations. But it aIso represents something more. If freedom is consolidated in Hungary and in Poland, and if Romania, Bulgaria and Albania follow this example through evolution, if that can he done-or through revolution if evolution is impossiblewe shall have consolîdated peace in Europe. 99. We invite the Soviet Union to encourage this evolutionary process. 1t is in the true interests of the Soviet Union. This would he the true coexistence with the West of which the Soviet Union is thinking. There can he no other form of coexistence. Any other attitude is merely equivalent to saying that the yoke placed on these peoples must be countenanced and forcible measures accepted; it would be the same as saying that friendship demands cornplicity in crime. 100. 1 have said, and 1 repeat again, that true solidarity can only exist between parties engaged on a labour of love and never between those engaged on an evil adventure. Subject to full respect for whatever may be the Soviet Union's domestic policies, it is surely true that West and East can get together only if the Soviet Union abandons its stranglehold on countries which are the soul of Europe and European culture and which have for centuries, indeed for fifteen hundred years, formed the very core of the continent of Europe. The Soviet Union should respect their freedom and independence. It would thereby gain prestige, bring about tf'..le co-opernticn \-lith \iVestern Europe and strengthen the equilibrium of the world. 103. Ml'. WALKER (Australia): 1 am not one of the speakers at present on the list ar:d I should like to reserve my right to raise the question as to when 1 l11ight have an opportunity of speaking on this matter. 1 do not necessarily \Vish to speak this evcning, but 1 would wish to speak at another meeting. 104. The PRESIDENT (translated from French): As 1 said before, the debate is not closed. At the next meeting representatives will have an opportunity to speak. 105. Ml'. DE GUIRINGAUD (France) (translated from FrePlch) : Exactly five days ago, when the French delegation had requested that the question of the situation in Hungary should be placed on the agénda of the Security Cotlnci!, the head of the Soviet Union delegation opposeo its inclusion. His main argument \Vas that the Hungarian Gov('rnment not only had not asked the three Powers to intervene, but had protested, through its representative, against the inclusion of the item in the agenda of the Security Council. 106. Today, we have before us a cable from the President of the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic to the Secrehry-General of the United Nations [A/3251] formally calling for action by this Organization. 1 sha11 not read out this document, which was read out a moment ago by the representative of Cuba, who also offered authoritative comments on it. lOi. Yesterday, 1 November, the Hungarian Government formally confirmed this démarche through the French Government, by handing an official note to the French Ambassador in Budapest. That note is drafted along more or less the same lines as the cable to the Secretary-Generai. It states that, according to confirmed reports, new Soviet units have penetrated Hungarian territory. A strong protest was made to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union by the President of the Council of Ministers and Ml'. Nagy asked for the immediate withdrawal of the troops. At the same time, he stated that his Government forthwith denounced the Warsaw Pact, proclaimed the neutrality of Hungary, appealed to the United Nations and asked for the assistance of the four great Powers. 108. The argument of the Soviet Union's representative at the 746th meeting did not persuade the Cou.ncil, which voted to include the Hungarian questi.on in its agenda. Now that the message from the President of 109. The reasons for our belief that the United Na"':~~s must act immediately are very clear. It is now obvi':::lS that foreign intervention in Hungary has taken place and is continuing on Hungarian territory. It has also been demonstrated that this intervention was carried out against the express will of the great majority of the Hungarian people and against the wishes of the Hungarian Government. 110. This is therefore, as far as relations between States are concemed, an instance of flagrant violation of Hungarian sovereignty and independence and, as far as the rights of peoples are concerned, a violation of their acknowledged right of self-determination. 111. There is no neecl ta recapitulate once again the events in Hungary over the past ten days. These events have been marked day after day by bloodshed, and day after day they have been caused by the intervention of the Soviet anny. 112. On 30 October we were told that Soviet troops would withdraw from the country. The report came from bath So,Jiet and Hungarian sources. Subsequently, repo:'1:s reaching countries bordering on Hungary indicated that, far frem withdrawing, ,the Soviet forces had only evacuated the capital, were concentrating at their bases, and were being reiniorced with units from neighbouring garrisons. 113. Yesterday, 1 November, it was reported that several hundred Soviet tanks had crossed the Soviet- Hungarian frontier at Zahony and were heading tow2.rds south-west Hungary. It was also reported that Budapest airfield had been surrounded by numerous Soviet tanks and that the town of Debrecen, which had been P.vacu· ated sorne days before, had been reoccupied. 114. This moming, Press reports indicated that the highway from the Austrian border to Budapest was once more under the control of Soviet annoured ünits, whereas on the previous two days traffic had been completely free. 115. Foreign intervention is thus a proved facto Intervention, which the Soviet authorities themselves recognized at one time to be at the root of the trouble, is nevcrtheless continuing. And so long as it continues, the Security Council cannot disregard it. On the contrary, it must take action to put a stop to it. 116. This intervention 1S contrary ta the will of the Hungarian people and of its Govemment. That is the second point of my argument. 117. We were told five days ago that the Hungarian Govemment had asked for this intervention. We aIready had very serious misgivings on that point. Mr. Gero may in faet have asked for the assistance of foreign troops in arder ta maintain himself in power, but the 118. We were also told that it was a handful of fascists who staged an uprising against the Government of Hungary and that, in these circumstances, the Hungarian Government, in putting down that uprising by force and asking for foreign assistance a week ago, was only applying the Warsaw Pact and the 1947 peace treaty, which makes provision for measures to combat fascist e1ements. From a legal point of view, that argument was questionable. It is now equally questionable in the Hght of the faets. 119. Who is going to believe that a mere handful of fascists succeeded in causing difficulties to the SO"1et forces of intervention? Who is going to believe that a small group of fascists has exerted sufficient influence on Mr. Nagy and his government to persuade them to request the evacuation of foreign troops? No, it is no mere handful of fascists; it is the immense majority, virtually the whole of the Hungarian people, c1amouring, after ten years of a régime imposed by the police and by foreign forces, for the return of its inherent rights, which are defined in the 1947 peace treaty and which are respected in democratic countries. 120. It seems to me that, since there is proof of foreign intervention, and aIso of the will of the Hungarian people and Government to put an end to that intervention, the Security Council, the United Nations and the whoIe world find themselves faced with a violation of the United Nations Charter, of internationa11aw and of the rules of international morality. 121. As regards relations between States, the Soviet Union can no longer maintain that the Warsaw Pact justifies the dispatch of its troops to Hungary because, even when it 'ldvanced this questionable argument in support of its action, the basis of the argument was the request by Hungary. The Soviet Union is therefore violating the independence and the sovereignty of the Hungarian State. 122. Even more serious is the violation of the right of self-determination of peoples, one of the basic principles on which the world has endeavoured to base peacefuI relations between peoples and the keystone of the United Nations Charter. The issue today is the freedom of peoples, the right of the Hungarian people to self-determination. This is not an operation limited to a particular geographical area or a matter affecting only a particular ethnic group or a minority. An entire people is rising against foreign domination and appealing to the .United Nations. 123. In the present circumstances, hearing in mind that fûi ten yeaïs the United r~atiûns has an tûû ûft€n 20

My delegation is gratefuI to the delegations of France, the United Kingdom and the United States for bringing about this emergency meeting of the Security Council. The situation in Hungary is very grave. !ts gravity bas been attested to by the cabiegram [AI3251] which the Secretary- General has received from the Prime Minister of Hungary. 1 do not need to enlarge on that, because the entire cablegram has been read to the Council by the representative of Cuba. The information in that cablegram has been supplemented by the information furnished to us by the representatives of the United Kingdom and France. 125. The Soviet Union is trying to re-enslave the people of Hungary by sending more troops into that country. The struggle in Hungary is between Hungarian freedom and Soviet imperialism. At least, that is how 1 understand the nature of the struggle. The Soviet version is different. The representative of the Soviet Union in this Council has called the movement in Hungary an undertaking of crirninals, reactionaries and fascists. He has insinuated that this whole business was brought about by the underground work of the United States or of the Western Powers. His version naturally agrees with the version given in Pravda. In an editarial in Pravda sorne days ago, that orga.. called the Hungarian movement for freedom an anti-popular adventure. Pravda also explained the movement as being "unleashed through the underground work of the Anglo-American imperialists". 126. 1 do not have to answer these charges. 1 ha\1e neither the authority nor the information to answer them. Fortunately for us, the official Hungarian Communist Party newspaper answered these charges on 29 October. !ts editorial was circulated in a French translation by the official Hungarian news agency, MTI, and appeared in English in The Ncw York Times of 30 October. 127. Now, what is the nature of this 1110vement in Hungmy? Ts it an "anti-popular adventure", as Prœvda caUs it? This is what the official Hungarian Communist Party newspaper, Szabad N cp, says in ans",er to this question: "The revolutionary people of Pest and Buda want freedom. Freedom for the people, a life without overbroring. w;thnnt de'~t;= and tmor, mme brrod 21~pr~"~,":~'.,de:.:~"me 128. Has this movement been unleashed by what PrmJda calls the underground of Anglo-American imperialists? This is what the official Hungarian Communist Party newspaper answers: "We can calmly state that this assertion by Pra't'da is an insult to the one and a haH million people of Budapest. UA large part of Budapest's population assisted, physically and morally, in last Wednesday's demonstration and either approved of or sympathized with the fundamental patriotic and democratic principles of that great popular action. "The five-day-Iong bioody, tragic and yet magnificent fight had been unleashed not by anybody's but our own mistakes and crimes, among which one has to name first and foremost the fact that we failed to keep alive the sacred flame of national independence, that heritage of our great ancestors." That is how the Hungarian Government regards the nature of the events in Hungary. 129. Last winter, when the United Nations was debating the question of the admission of new Members, 1 opposed the admission of Hungary as well as the admission of other satellite States. At that time, 1 called the attention of the General Assemhly to the fad that the Governments in those countries were both oppressive and unrepresentative, that the people of those countries were strugglillg for freedom, and that the United Nations had no right to increase the burdens of those people by conferring on their oppressive régimes additional prestige and authority through such admission. Events have proved that the stand of my delegation in regard to Hungary was right, and 1 believe that events will prove tilat the stand of my delegation in regard to Albania, Romania and Bulgaria was also right. 130. The events in Hungary have aroused the indignation of the whole world. Individual Governments have, in one way or another, expressed their sympathy and their support. Individual representatives have expressed their sentiments through speeches in this Council or through messages to the President of the Council or the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Up to this moment, no organ of the United Nations has expressed a collective opinion. The United Nations has not yet taken a stand on this momentous development. It is time that the Security Council took a stand. 1 believe that the events do not permit us to delay this matter. 131. In the opinion of my delegation, events demand of us the following four decisions, and 1 would like to see these four points incorporated in the resolution which 1 hope we shall adopt. First of an, the Security Council must express its sympathy for the Hungarian people in their struggle for freedom. Secondly, the Council must make it unmistakably c1ear that it opposes "AlI America pays tribute in these troubled days to the courage and sacrifices of the FJungarian people in their determination to secure freedom. In struggling to obtain this goal for their country, the Hungarians are undergoiag grave physical hardships and privations. In order to help the Hungarian people in this hour of need, 1 am authorizing immediately an initial allocation of $20 million from the funds appropriated by the Congress for emergency use, to be employed for food and other urgent relief necessities for the alleviation of their sufferings.". 1 think 1 may add that this is food which will be needed to carry the people of Hungary through the coming winter months, and 1 believe 1 can say that, entirely apart from the political developments in Hungary, we in the United States want to do everything we can to ensure that the Hungarian people shall not have to suffer in the winter which lies ahead of us. 134. Ml'. SOBOLEV (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated trom Russian): Today's meeting of the Security Council was called at the request of the representatives of the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America. At a time when thewhole world is watching vigilant1y to see what is being,done to comply with the General Assembly's resolution of 2 November 1956 [resolulion 997 (ES-I)] on the cessation of the aggressive action taken by the United Kingdom and France against Egypt, at such a time, the calling of a meeting on the item now on the Council's agenda is strange, to say the least. 132. These represent the ideas of my delegation with regard to the action that the Security Council should take. In any event, 1 believe that we should not delay our action much further.

1 should like to read to the Security Couneil a statement which President Eisenhower made today at the White House, because 1 think it is pertinent to what we are considering here : 135. In demanding a meeting of the Security Council on the Hungarian question, the representatives of the Western Powers are pursuing an obvious objective: to divert attention from the tragic events in the Middle East resulting from the unprecedented aggression.lrried out by the United Kingdom and France against Egypt. We are concerned and surprised to note that the United States is following the !ine which the United Kingdom and France are trying to press in order to mollify public indignation over the action of the United Kingdom and France in Egypt. 1 co ----- --- 23 CI••• At the request of the Hungarian People's Government, the Soviet Government agreed to move Soviet military units into Budapest with a view to assisting the Hungarian People's Army and the Hungarian authorities to restore order in the city. Considering that the continued presence of Soviet military units in Hungary may have the effect of stiU further aggravating the situation, the Soviet Government bas instructed its military command to withdraw Soviet military units from the city of Budapest as soon as this is thought necessary by the Hungarian Government. "The Soviet Govemment aIso declared that it was prepared to enter into suitable negotiations with the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic. In tbis, the Soviet Government proceeds from the general principle that the troops of any State party to the Warsaw Pact are stationed on the territory of another State party to the Pact by agreement between aU the parties thereto, and only with the consent of the State on whose territory sucb troops are, or are to he, stationed at its request . • • " 137. 1 should like to point out that now the situation in Hungary bas begun to improve and to stabilize itself, certain counter-revolutionary elements are trying, in the capital of Hungary and in the provinces, to disturb at a.U costs the arder which was beginning to be restored. 138. Let me draw the attention of members of the Cauneil to a Press report from Vienna, according to which a Hungarian-American centre long in operation in Salzburg, on Austrian temtory, is now transferring its subversive activity against the Hungarian State to Hungarian soil. 139. Other Press reports speak of groups of aircraft taking off almost continuously for Budapest from Austrian airfields. Observers were able to ascertain, these reports say, that hundreds of Hungarian officers and men who had formerly served in the Hitlerite army were being sent to Hungary. Among the aircraft, West German frontier service machines and British a:ld other aircraft were to be seen. 140. 1 draw attention to these facts, which may have extremely grave consequences. 141. Yesterday rumours were spread that the Soviet Govemment was moving additional armed forces into Hungarian territory. These statements, as also the statement made by Mr. Imre Nagy, are utterly unfounded, and in orùer to refute such fabrications the Soviet Govemment yesterday, through its Ambassador in Hun- (Continued in Russian) 142. Mr. Lodge repeated time and again in his statement that the situation in Hungary was not clear. He offered no facts whatsoever to substantiate his charges against the Soviet Union. On what grounds, then, does the representative of the United States call for a meeting of the Security Council and an emergency meeting at that? 143. In these circumstances, the Security Council bas no grounds whatever for considering the situation in Hungary. 144. It is perfectly clear that in hastily placing the Hungarian question before the Security Council again today, the Western Powers are attempting a diversionary manœuvre intended to distract public opinion from the Anglo-French aggression against Egypt. The situation in Egypt is deteriorating with every passing minute. The Press and the radio, quoting French official spokesmen, report that despite the General Assembly resolution adopted early this morning United Kingdom and French troops, after savagely bombing Egyptian territory, have begun an invasion-I repeat-an invasion of the Suez Canal area. Furthermore, the Governments of the United Kingdom and France have an-' nounced that they will continue their attack upon Egypt regard1ess of the General Assembly's resolution; in other . words, they refuse to régard it as a decision of great importance; they refuse to carry oult the General Assembly's decision. 145. These reports indicate the real reason why the Hungarian situation is under consideration in the Security Council. Now that the way for an invasion of Egypt has been prepared by Anglo-French air raids, land forces and armaments are being disembarked. The invasion of Egypt is now in progress. The smokescreen for the invasion is to be a discussion of the Hungarian situation in the Security Council. However, this manœuvre cannot succeed; it is too transparent. The peoples of the world-particularly, the Arab and Asian peopies-wiii not he deluded by smoke-screens oi propaganda, demagogy and slander. 146. MI'. TSIANG (China): We have just heard a denial of a cablegram sent to us by the Prime Minister of Hungary. While this denial was being made, a new official document of the United Nations [S/3726] was being distributed to us. This new document contains a note from the Permanent Mission oi the Hungarian People's Republic addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a letter dated 2 November 1956 from the Pr·esident of the Council of Ministers and Acting Foreign Minister of the Hungarian People's Republk. 1 should like to read out only the following paragraph from that letter: "On 2 November further and exact information, mainly military reports, reached the Government of ,,,,,,,

The representative of the Soviet Union disputes the validity of our reasons for requesting this urgent meeting of the Council. Like the Chinese representative, 1 would refer him to the letter which has just been drculated. 148. 1 should also like to add sorne information which was handed to me a few moments ago. Although this information cornes from a Press agency, it quotes the Hungarian Government news agency. The report summarizes the position, as of this evening, in regard to the movement of Soviet troops in Hungary. It reads as follows: "A large armoured unit has arrived in Kisvarda. At the same time, the continuous movement of Soviet troops coming from the east has been noted in Debrecen. The movement of Russian armour towards the west has been noted in Szolnok. Approximately 200 tanks which have for several days taken up positions between Szolnok and Abony have begun to move towards the west ... On the night of Thursday to Friday, severa! arn10ured units took up positions in the area of Gyongyos. Ir,' Transdanubya, Soviet units stationed near Dombovar has surrounded the airport at Taszar and launched spearheads as far as the suburbs of Kaposvar. No incident has been noted in that area. "About twenty lorries bearing Soviet infantrymen arrived in Nyiregyhaza on Friday evening. Finally, about fifty motorized batteries crossed the Soviet- Hungarian frontier at Beregsurany." There bas certainly been a substantial deployment of Soviet military forces entering Hungary or moving from one point to another in Hungary today. 149. :Mr. SOBOLEV (Union of Soviet Sodalist Republics) (translated jrom Russian) : ln order ta show that Press reports cannot always be taken upon trust and sometimes have to be verified, may 1 read out another Press communication on a simiiar topic, one which was put out yesterday. This communication is addressed to editors by the Associated Press, and reads as follows: (Continued in English) ''We have been checking constantly on published rumouTs that new fighting has broken out in Budapest, that there has been a new Soviet invasion of Hungary, and that Sovil"+ armour has surrounded every airport in Hungary. "We have nothing beyond the Hungarian Premier's protest against new troops entering Hungary and the Soviet Ambassador's answer that they \Vere only a regrouping of forces; the first-hand story that Russian tanks are at Budapest airport to ensure removing 26 "Another service first hulletined. then withdrew, a story that Budapest had been bombed. We have nothing resembling that."

The Soviet Union representative himself told us that the report which he read out was received yesterday. 151. Mr. SOBOLEV (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated from Russian) : 1 did not maintain that the report was of today's date. AlI 1 said was that not every Press report could be accepted without verification. 152. The PRESIDENT (translated trom French): As there are no further speakers, 1 should like to know if the members of the Council have any suggestions concerning the date of our next meeting. 153. Mr. NU~EZ PORTUONDO (Cuba) (translated from Spa.-nish): In view of the urgency of the matter with which we are dealing, 1 propose that the Council should meet again tomorrow, 3 November, at 3 p.m. in order to continue its con<;ideration. of this question. 154. The PRESIDENT (translated from French): If there are no objections, 1 shall take it that the Cuban representative's proposal is adopted. l t was so decided.