Dag Hammarskjöld
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Esteemed representatives, ambassadors, and delegates,
The time has come for the United Nations General Assembly to begin the selection process for the 1962 United Nations Security Council. The following seats are up for election this cycle.
Commonwealth Seat (currently held by Ceylon)
Latin America Seat (currently held by Ecuador)
Western Europe Seat (currently held by Liberia)
Eastern Europe & Asia Seat (Currently held by Turkey)
The floor is now open to nominations for these seats.
Adlai E. Stevenson II Permanent Representative to the United Nations United States of America
Point of order: Yugoslavia is ineligible this year for the Eastern Europe & Asia Seat, as Romania currently occupies the Eastern Europe seat on the Security Council. As this nomination would be seeking to replace Turkey for 1962, Asian countries are the ones that should be nominated.
Dag Hammarskjöld
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The point of order raised by the Representative of the United States of America is not sustained. While it is customary practice, there are no binding rules regarding the division of the Eastern European and Asian seat on the Security Council. Although Article 23, paragraph 1, of the Charter calls for ‘equitable geographical distribution,’ this matter is left to the determination of the General Assembly.
Michael Saul Comay Permanent Representative to the United Nations
State of Israel
Commonwealth Seat: Canada
Latin American Seat: Brazil
Western European Seat: Portugal
Eastern European & Asia Seat: India
I would like to take the opportunity to suggest we make the equitable geographical distribution a formal matter, and prohibit the ‘back-to-back’ regional monopolization on the Eastern European & Asia Seat by either region as soon as possible.
It is already regrettable that there are not two distinct seats for the regions, we should ensure the best distribution possible–If we’re not going to reform the structure of the United Nations to be better representative of the political order wherein these are vastly different regions with their own needs and interests.
Dag Hammarskjöld
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The period for nominations will end on May 1st 1961 (May 1st 2025 @ 12PM PST) where after voting will commence until September 1st 1961 (May 13th 2025 @ 12PM PST) at which time the UNSC Elected Members for 1962 will be announced.
Dag Hammarskjöld
