My Mother — Page 96
96 The Sixteenth Session, like its predecessors, wound its leisurely way along and spilled over Christmas into January 1962. In April 1962, the Government of Indonesia intimated that Ali Sastroamidjoyo would not be available for the Seventeenth Session. Speculation started concerning the Presidency of that Session. Ambassador Abdul Mun’im Rifa’i, Permanent Representative of Jordan, approached me and suggested that I should let my name be put forward for the Presidency of the next Session. My response was: ‘Afro-Asian States now constitute a major- ity in the United Nations. It is being said that they would now attempt to steamroller the General Assembly. I consider that it would be wise to avoid action that might lend colour to that assumption. In my opinion an Asian President following immedi- ately after an African President would be such action and should be avoided. ’ ‘Then what would you advise?’ ‘I would suggest that we should seek an understanding with the Latins that they can have the Presidency this year provided that they agree that the Presidency should rotate on a fifty-fifty basis between the Afro-Asians on one side and the Westerns and Latins on the other. ’ ‘I shall consult with the Representatives of the Arab States and shall let you know. ’ The understanding was reached with the Latins, and it was agreed that Ambassador Amadeo, Permanent Representative of Argentina, should be elected President of the Seventeenth Session. No sooner was this agreed upon, than there was a revolu- tion in Argentina. Ambassador Amadeo turned down the request