Speech by Liam Cosgrave to the 11th General Assembly of the United Nations

My delegation does not consider that this is an appropriate time for the Assembly to try to solve the problem of the representation of China in the United Nations. We admit that there is a problem. We recognize that sooner or later in this Assembly we have got to make up our minds whether we are going to leave the de facto Government of over 500 million people without representation in the United Nations, or whether we should try to come to some arrangement acceptable to the conflicting views which exist among us on this matter.

But my delegation does not regard the present as a suitable time for seeking a settlement of this problem. Within the past few weeks, we have seen in Hungary an illustration of the challenge which Communism presents to peace, to human liberty, to national self-determination and the other moral values which the Charter is designed to protect. Public opinion throughout the world is still shocked and appalled by the Hungarian tragedy. I do not suggest or imply that the Chinese People’s Republic has any direct responsibility for this matter. But the Government of the Chinese People’s Republic shares the political philosophy which made these events possible and, in keeping with that philosophy, the Chinese People’s Republic has itself been guilty in recent years of acts and conduct which have outraged world opinion and violated the provisions of the Charter.

The present is not an appropriate time to ask us to forget these things. This Assembly has a responsibility to world opinion, and my delegation cannot feel it appropriate or right that, at a time when the public opinion of the world is overcome by grief and horror at what it has witnessed in Hungary, this Assembly should begin to consider any proposal looking towards a change in the representation of China and the recognition of the Government of the Chinese People’s Republic as the proper representatives of the Chinese nation in this Organization.

On this ground, my delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution recommended by the General Committee in paragraph 7 of its fourth report.