Extracts from the minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet
'Food and Agriculture Organisation:
Directions to delegation to Sixth Session of Conference, Rome,
November–December, 1951'
(G.C. 6/38) (Item 3) (S13875)

Following further consideration of a memorandum dated the 12th November, 1951,¹ submitted by the Minister for Agriculture regarding Irish representation at the Sixth Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations commencing in Rome on the 19th November, 1951, it was agreed that, in regard to the matters to be discussed by the Conference, the Irish delegation should act in accordance with the directions recommended by the Minister, namely,

1. that the delegation should adhere to the view that the French Government’s proposal for a Farm Pool Plan might be most profitably discussed within the framework of the Organization for European Economic Co-operation;
2. that, in regard to the election of members of the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the delegation
   1. should, where another country in the same geographical region as an outgoing country is nominated, support the former country as a matter of principle and where appropriate,
   2. should make an exception to the foregoing rule in the case of Italy and should also support the re-election of the United States of America, and
   3. should not seek membership for Ireland but should intimate acceptance of membership if proposed and elected;

3. that the applications by Argentina, Japan, Laos and Nepal for admission to the Organization should be supported;

[matter omitted]

7. that any proposal to increase the annual budget of the Organization should be resisted.