The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 239
223 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN Council raised some difficulty. There were conflicting views: some delegates thought the elections should take place late in the session and some thought we should get them out of the way fairly early in the session. I had already announced a provisional date. All the candidates, naturally, were anxious to have them out of the way. Some, who were potential candidates, thought that with more time they might perhaps be able to put their candidacies in better shape. Whatever the motives, there was this serious difference, and it took me the better part of two days to smooth it out; but it was smoothed out and the actual elections to all these three bodies went through in the space of 55 minutes which was a record. No seat in the Security Council was split; the three candidate countries were elected for a full term, and also the previous year's split seat was filled. For the Economic and Social Council and for the Trusteeship Council not even a second ballot was necessary. For the Security Council only one second ballot became necessary. One can have a good deal of difficulty with regard to elections; it is no reflection on the present President, who is indeed doing extremely well in every respect, that this year's Security Council elections have already occupied two full sittings of the Assembly and the third seat has not yet been filled. Two seats were filled fairly quickly, and the contest over the third seat got into a tangle and there is likely to be a split seat again. Question : One of the very interesting experiences which you must have had concerned your relations with the professional staff of the United Nations. Andrew Cordier, who had been there previously to help advise the Presidents, filled an important place. Being on the podium, as you say, was an isolated position; one had to have all sorts of sources of information. So what was your relationship with the Secretary-General and his professional staff and with the other delegations in getting the business done ? Zafrulla : First, let me say a word with regard to Andrew, who has been through many years a very good friend and whom I admire greatly; a man who has made a contribution to the work of the United Nations which perhaps it is too early to assess at its true value. He had been a tower of strength for each succeeding President, and I was the first President to be deprived of his very valuable assistance and cooperation. That was one cause of my being a bit anxious. C. V. Narasimhao, who took his place, is a very able officer, but it was his first year also.