1961 United Nations Secretary-General selection

Selection of U Thant 1961 United Nations Secretary-General selection United Nations no 1953 United Nations Secretary-General selection 1953 1971 United Nations Secretary-General selection 1971 3 November 1961 UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld U Thant Country Vote Vetoes Round 120px U Thant Burma 1948 11 11 lightblue None A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in 1961 to replace Dag Hammarskjöld after he was killed in a plane crash. After initial Soviet attempts to replace the secretary-general with a troika, it was agreed that an acting secretary-general would be appointed for the remainder of Hammarskjöld's term. Within two weeks, U Thant of Burma emerged as the only candidate who was acceptable to both the Soviet Union and the United States. However, the superpowers spent another four weeks arguing over the number of assistant secretaries-general, before finally resolving their dispute by allowing Thant to decide for himself. Thant was then voted in unanimously for a term ending on 10 April 1963. Thant's term was extended in 1962 to a full five years, and he was drafted for a second term in 1966 ending on 31 December 1971. Thant served a total of 10 years and 2 months in office, making him the longest-serving secretary-general in history. Future candidates would be subject to a two-term limit, with each term running for exactly 5 years. Background Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld had been actively engaged in the Congo Crisis, flying frequently to the war zone to supervise the U.N. peacekeeping mission. On 18 September 1961, Hammarskjöld flew to Ndola in Northern Rhodesia to meet with rebel leader Moïse Tshombe of the State of Katanga. After circling the airfield twice, the airplane crashed, killing Hammarskjöld and all but one of the other occupants.Halberstam David Hammarskjold Dies In African Air Crash; Kennedy Going To U. N. In Succession Crisis https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0729a.html The New York Times 19 September 1961 The airplane crash set off a succession crisis at the United Nations, as Hammarskjöld's death required the Security Council to vote on a successor. Succession crisis The Soviet Union had been pushing to replace the secretary-general with a troika, the three men to be named by each of the Three Worlds of the Cold War.Debate on U.N. Head Possible This Week The New York Times 24 September 1961 4 The death Monday of Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold in an air crash in Northern Rhodesia has produced a critical situation because of Soviet opposition to naming any single person to fill his post. The Soviet Union has demanded that he be replaced by a triumvirate, representing the Soviet bloc, the Western powers and the nonaligned countries. The Soviets recommended that three of the thirteen under secretaries-general be promoted to the troika: Georgi P. Arkadev of the Soviet Union, Ralph Bunche of the United States, and Chakravarthi V. Narasimhan of India. However, U.S. President John F. Kennedy objected that a troika had three horses but only one driver. U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk admitted on 22 September 1961 that "an immediate agreement cannot be expected" and suggested filling the secretary-generalship on a temporary basis.Hamilton Thomas J. Interim U.N. Head is Urged by Rusk; His Timing Scored The New York Times 23 September 1961 1 The question of finding a replacement for Hammarskjöld raised several constitutional questions, as the U.N. Charter made no provision for succession to the office of secretary-general. The United States and the United Kingdom argued that the General Assembly could act on its own to provide for the rest of Hammarskjöld's term.Slim to Quit As Assembly Head If Named Acting U.N. Chief The New York Times 26 September 1961 1 Several European countries suggested that the officeholder could not hold the title of acting secretary-general, as the selection of anyone called "secretary-general" would require action by the Security Council. The Soviet Union, India, Ireland, and the Scandinavian countries argued that the Security Council must act to select a replacement for Hammarskjöld.Hamilton Thomas J. New Chief for the U.N. The New York Times 5 November 1961 E9 Candidates + Official candidates Image Candidate Position Regional group90pxTunisia 1959 Mongi SlimPresident of the United Nations General AssemblyAsian Group90pxBurma 1948 U ThantChairman of the UN Congo CommissionAsian Group Negotiations The developing world insisted on a secretary-general from a non-European nation,http://www.unausa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=1406527 An Historical Overview on the Selection of United Nations Secretaries-General February 2006 UNA-USA 7 February 2026 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071113031307/http://www.unausa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=1406527 13 November 2007 and Hammarskjöld himself had stated that his successor should be from Asia or Africa.https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,938249-1,00.html World: The U.N.'s Acting Secretary-General U Thant TIME 7 February 2026 10 November 1961 Mongi Slim of Tunisia was elected President of the General Assembly on 21 September 1961.Hamilton Thomas J. Tunisian Approved, 96-0, As President of Assembly The New York Times 21 September 1961 1 The United States came up with a plan for Slim to carry out the duties of secretary-general, while he would delegate his own duties to one of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly.FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 182: Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Cleveland) to Acting Secretary of State Bowles, September 18, 1961. However, Slim insisted that the General Assembly would not act until the candidates had first been submitted to the Security Council. Nathan Barnes of Liberia, as President of the Security Council, attempted to arrange for Great Power consultations on the topic. However, the Soviet Union refused to attend any meeting that included Ambassador Tsiang Tingfu of Nationalist China, on the grounds that the Chinese seat at the United Nations actually belonged to Communist China. After the rejection of Great Power consultations, the two superpowers negotiated bilaterally on the secretary-generalship. Soviet ambassador Valerian Zorin met with U.S. ambassador Adlai Stevenson II on 29 September 1961,Hamilton Thomas J. Stevenson and Zorin Fail to End Rift on U.N. Chief The New York Times 29 September 1961 1 and the superpowers moved closer to agreement over the next week. The Soviet Union agreed to select a single acting secretary-general, and the United States dropped Mongi Slim in favor of U Thant.Burmese U.N. Head Acceptable to U.S. with 2 Conditions The New York Times 6 October 1961 1 The Arab countries were also willing to accept Thant, even though Burma had diplomatic relations with Israel. The principal opposition to Thant came from Western Europe, Latin America, and the French-speaking countries of Africa.Hamilton Thomas J. U.S. Urges Prompt Naming of Interim U.N. Chief The New York Times 7 October 1961 9 Terms of office Although the superpowers had quickly agreed on Hammarskjöld's successor, they deadlocked on the details of the appointment. The Soviet Union wanted to name an acting secretary-general, who must first declare that he would take actions "in agreement" with the under secretaries-general. The United States maintained that the Security Council must appoint a permanent secretary-general, and only the General Assembly could name an interim secretary-general. The United States also insisted that the secretary-general must have freedom of action. The main point of disagreement was over the number of under secretaries-general. The Soviet Union originally insisted on three Assistants with provision for compulsory consultation, while the United States wanted five Assistants with optional consultation. The Soviet Union then proposed four Assistants, one each from the United States, the Soviet Union, Africa, and Latin America. The United States again demanded five Assistants, including one from Western Europe, whereupon the Soviet Union countered with six or seven, including one from Eastern Europe.U. S. and Soviet Gain in Negotiations on New U. N. Chief The New York Times 24 October 1961 9 British ambassador Patrick Dean received instructions from London to accept seven and reject four,FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 190: Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Cleveland) to Secretary of State Rusk, October 25, 1961. and he convinced U.S. ambassador Stevenson to accept seven "as a last resort."FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 187: Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, October 18, 1961, 10 p.m. However, the U.S. State Department issued instructions that five was the only acceptable number.FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 189: Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations, October 25, 1961, 10:36 a.m. The deadlock was finally broken on 1 November 1961 when Stevenson suggested that Thant be allowed to decide for himself how many Assistants he would have.Hamilton Thomas J. Soviet Sees Accord on U.N. Chief Near The New York Times 2 November 1961 1 Thant also prepared a declaration that did not commit in advance to naming five or seven Under-Secretaries.FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 191: Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy), November 2, 1961. Vote The Security Council met in closed session on 3 November 1961, unanimously adopting Resolution 168 to recommend U Thant to the General Assembly. A resolution was presented that afternoon by Ceylon, Liberia, and the United Arab Republic, all of them non-permanent members of the Security Council. The United States and the Soviet Union could not sponsor the resolution, as the other permanent members would have joined as co-sponsors, and the Soviet Union did not accept the participation of Nationalist China.Brewer Sam Pope Thant Is Elected Interim U.N. Head The New York Times 4 November 1961 1 The General Assembly voted that afternoon by secret ballot to accept the Security Council's recommendation. In a unanimous vote of 103-0-0, the General Assembly appointed U Thant as acting secretary-general of the United Nations for a term ending on 10 April 1963. 1962 selection U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson announced in May 1962 that he would vote for Thant's re-election.Hamilton Thomas J. U Thant as Candidate The New York Times 8 July 1962 123 Thant subsequently played a major role in resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.Dorn A. Walter Pauk Robert Unsung Mediator: U Thant and the Cuban Missile Crisis Diplomatic History April 2009 33 2 261–292 https://walterdorn.net/pdf/CubanMissileCrisis-UnsungMediator_Dorn-Pauk_DiplHistory_Vol33No2_Apr2009.pdf en-gb 10.1111/j.1467-7709.2008.00762.x A second term was assured when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev made several favorable references to Thant in letters to U.S. President John F. Kennedy. However, some of the other members of the Security Council were annoyed that the Soviet Union and the United States had decided on a second term without consulting the other Council members.Brewer Sam Pope Russians Agree to Naming Thant for a Full Term The New York Times 29 November 1962 1 On 30 November 1962, the Security Council met in secret session and adopted a communiqué recommending that Thant be appointed to a term ending 3 November 1966. Soviet Ambassador Valerian Zorin reiterated that a troika was "the only one [arrangement] consonant with reality." Nevertheless, the Soviet Union would vote for Thant in recognition of his "positive action" during the "dangerous crisis in the Caribbean."FRUS 1961–1963 XXV Document 231: Airgram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, December 5, 1962. For personal reasons, Thant wished to have his second term extend five years from his own selection, rather than five years from the expiration of Hammarskjöld's term as the United States had wanted. No formal resolution was adopted by the Security Council, and Thant would henceforth consider his first five years in office to be a single term. The General Assembly followed with a vote of 109-0-0 with one absence. Thant was promoted from acting secretary-general to secretary-general, and his term in office was extended until 3 November 1966.Burnham Alexander U.N. Names Thant for 4-Year Term The New York Times 1 December 1962 1966 selection In 1966, Thant was assured of running unopposed with the support of both superpowers. The only question was whether he would accept a full five-year term.Brewer Sam Pope Victory by Thant in November Seen The New York Times 22 May 1966 18 The prospect of a smooth re-selection was clouded on 1 September 1966, when Thant released a statement saying, "I have decided not to offer myself for a second term as Secretary General."Middleton Drew Thant Declares He Will Not Seek Second U.N. Term The New York Times 2 September 1966 1 Thant offered to stay on until the end of the General Assembly session on 2 December 1966 while a successor was selected.Middleton Drew Thant is Willing to Keep U.N. Post Till Session Ends The New York Times 20 September 1966 1 However, no other candidates were nominated to succeed Thant, and it was expected that he would accept a draft. On 23 November 1966, Thant explained to U.S. Ambassador Arthur Goldberg that he could only reverse his decision if the Council gave him something to save "face".FRUS 1964–1968 XXIII Document 231: Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, November 23, 1966, 0130Z. The face-saving statement came on 1 December 1966, when Thant met with the President of the Security Council and all of the permanent members except for Nationalist China. They promised him wider latitude to initiate action, assuring him that he would not be a "glorified clerk."Middleton Drew Election of Thant with Wider Role in U.N. Due Today The New York Times 20 September 1966 1 On 2 December 1966, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 229 to recommend Thant for another term. The General Assembly voted 120-0-1 to re-appoint Thant as Secretary-General of the United Nations for a term ending on 31 December 1971.Middleton Drew Thant, Renamed, Vows New Effort to End Asian War The New York Times 3 December 1966 1 1971 selection United Nations Secretary-General selection, 1971 On 18 January 1971, Thant announced that he had "no intention whatsoever" to serve another term. Unlike the 1966 selection, several candidates entered the race after Thant's declaration, beginning with Max Jakobson of Finland on 20 January 1971. However, the prospect of another draft loomed over the race, especially from the Soviet Union, France, and the Third World countries.FRUS 1969–1976 V Document 219: Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, June 18, 1971, 2305Z. Thant declared in September 1971 that his decision was "final and categorical,"'The Most Impossible Job' https://www.nytimes.com/1971/09/15/archives/-the-most-impossible-job.html The New York Times 15 September 1971 and he would not serve "even for two months" past the end of his term.Brewer Sam Pope Jakobson Confident on U.N. Candidacy https://www.nytimes.com/1971/09/18/archives/jakobson-confident-on-un-candidacy.html The New York Times 18 September 1971 Thant's health also took a turn for the worse, as he was treated at Leroy Hospital for a bleeding ulcer in November 1971.Tanner Henry Two are Pushed for Thant's Post https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/15/archives/two-are-pushed-for-thants-post-but-us-and-soviet-take-waitandsee.html The New York Times 15 November 1971 Nevertheless, the Soviet Union attempted to draft Thant at the first consultation of the permanent members on 6 December 1971.Teltsch Kathleen Soviet Said to Want Thant to Stay Briefly https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/10/archives/soviet-said-to-want-thant-to-stay-briefly.html The New York Times 10 December 1971 Soviet Ambassador Yakov Malik brushed aside concerns about Thant's health, saying that he should be given two weeks of vacation.FRUS 1969–1976 V Document 238: Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, December 7, 1971, 0612Z. The United States and the United Kingdom argued that Thant should be allowed to retire, and U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers instructed Ambassador George H. W. Bush to veto Thant if necessary.FRUS 1969–1976 V Document 243: Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, December 17, 1971, 0655Z. Thant's name did not appear on the ballot in 1971, and he stepped down when his last term in office ran out on 31 December 1971.Tanner Henry Thant Puts In a Working Day And Departs Quietly From U.N. The New York Times 31 December 1971 https://www.nytimes.com/1971/12/31/archives/thant-puts-in-a-working-day-and-departs-quietly-from-un.html Concerns about his health proved well-founded, as Thant died of cancer on 25 November 1974. Notes References United Nations, 1961–1963 https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v25 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963 XXV Claussen Paul Duncan Evan M. Soukup Jeffrey A. 2001 Washington United States Government Printing Office CITEREFFRUS 1961–1963 XXV United Nations, 1964–1968 https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v33 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968 XXIII Humphrey David C. Miller James E. 2004 Washington United States Government Printing Office CITEREFFRUS 1964–1968 XXIII United Nations, 1969–1972 https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1969-76v05 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976 V Duncan Evan M. 2004 Washington United States Government Printing Office CITEREFFRUS 1969–1976 V 1961