The Thirteenth General Assembly

Thirteenth General Assembly of the United Nations was not outstanding in its accomplishments nor was it one in which Canada played a major or spectacular role. Of course the General Assembly cannot be expected to solve all the great political crises which beset the world. In any case there is much truth in the observation of the late Dr. Smith in the House of Commons on February 26: know that the Thirteenth Session of the General Assembly has been dubbed an unspectacular one but in that regard I make the observation that dramatic quality is not a criterion of success. Although the agenda listed seventy-four items on which there was wideranging discussion and debate, no single item overshadowed all the others. The old familiar questions Chinese representation, disarmament, Cyprus, Algeria, South West Africa, Hungary brought forth the usual expressions of view without any appreciable advance being made on the international problems involved. The General Assembly opened in an atmosphere of deep concern over events taking place in the Far East. The Red Chinese bombardment of Quemoy and the other off-shore islands had begun on August 23, and had continued in the weeks following. As the Assembly opened many delegates believed that a situation would soon develop either suggesting or requiring some action by the United Nations. But the question was not brought up for consideration by any United Nations body, and contact between the Communist Chinese and the United States was made at the meetings of their ambassadors at Warsaw. But while the Quemoy action did not become an item for General Assembly consideration as such, it nevertheless had a

General assembly · Political science · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Canadian Policy and Governance · Law