The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 232
216 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN there is in the Plenary. The Plenary goes forward not so much at a leisurely pace - but with more dignity, and time is available to the President for consideration of this and that. But in committee the chairman has often to make decisions on the spot. In any case, it is a good training group for the Presidency and several Presidents in the past had been chairmen of committees. I had not that experience. From the beginning, it looked as though the contest would be confined to Ambassador Malalesekara of Ceylon and myself - and there was little doubt that I would keep ahead of him and be elected. In fact, his support never went beyond his initial estimate at the time when he circulated his candidacy. I felt that, on the interpretation of rules and on determining points of order and points of procedure, I might perhaps not be found adequate; at least, standing by myself. Previous Presidents always had had the great advantage of having Andrew Cordier sitting in their left. He was a man of great experience and of very sound judgment. One could always be sure that he would feel it in his bones if a problem was boiling up and was likely to come to the surface so that he could warn the President. But he was no longer with the United Nations and that was a lack which made me a little anxious. The election took place and I had 72 votes as against Ambassador Malalesekara's 27. Four ballot papers intended for me were invalidated because they bore the name of my country and not my name. One matter that the President always has to make very clear is that in these elections, certain ballots are cast for countries and certain ballots are cast for individuals. For the Presidency, you must vote by name for the person, not for his country. For the vice-presidencies, you vote for the country, not for the individual. When a country is elected to a vice- presidency, anybody representing that country can discharge any functions pertaining to the vice-Presidency. For instance, when the President is not available and he asks one of the Vice-Presidents to preside, anybody from the delegation can carry out that function; and the same is the case with attendance in the General Committee. The General Committee is composed of the President, the Vice-Presidents and the Chairmen of Committees. So far as the Vice-Presidents are concerned, any member of their delegations can sit. The Chairmen of Committees, again, are balloted for as individuals, not as countries.