MR ADEBO SPEAKING (S.O.F.)



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ADEBO: "I THEREFORE WANT TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT CONDEMN AT ALL THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION FOR BRINGING THIS MATER TO NOTICE. WHEN THE UNITED STATES DECIDED TO SUSPEND THE BOMBING OF NORTHERN VIETNAM, NIGERIA WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO RECORD ITS APPRECIATION OF THAT MEASURE. AND I HOPE THAT OUR FRIENDS IN THE UNITED STATES WILL PARDON US IF WE ARE ALSO AMONG THOSE WHO FEEL THAT IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT THEY FELT IT NECESSARY TO RESUME THE BOMBING OF NORTH VIETNAM. THE CASE PUT BY AMBASSADOR GOLDBERG HAS MADE IT CLEAR TO ME THAT EVEN IF WE DID NOT PROCEED TO WHAT HE'S CALLED THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS QUESTION HIS BRINGING THE ITEM BEFORE US HAD DOWN SOME GOOD. IT HAS ENABLED AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS TO TAKE PLACE, OR PURPORTING TO BE AN EXCHANGE ON PROCEDURE WHICH, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE, THE FLEXIBLE NATURE OF OUR PROCEDURE IN THIS ORGANISATION, HAS IN FACT BEEN AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS PRACTICALLY ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MATTER.




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Background: THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL MET IN EMERGENCY SESSION ON TUESDAY (2 FEBRUARY), AT THE REQUEST OF THE UNITED STATES, TO DISCUSS WHAT ACTION THE U.N. COULD TAKE ON THE WAR IN VIETNAM. THE MALI AMBASSADOR, MR SORI COLUIBALY, AND THE NIGERIAN DELEGATE, MR S.O. ADEBO, WERE BOTH SPEAKERS.

THE UNITED STATES DELEGATE, MR ARTHUR GOLDBERG, BLAMED THE NORTH VIETNAMESE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC "PEACE OFFENSIVE" AND FOR THE RESUMPTION OF U.S. AIR RAIDS ON NORTH VIETNAM AFTER A SUSPENSION OF 37 DAYS.

FOR THE SOVIET UNION, MR NIKOLAI FEDERENKO, BRANDED THE AMERICAN CALL FOR U.N. ACTION AS A PROPAGANDA MOVE TO COVER UP AN EXPANSION OF U.S. AGGRESSION ON VIETNAM.

MR ADEBO AGREED WITH THIS VIEW, THOUGH HE WELCOMED THE U.S. MOVE IN CALLING THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT WAS A PITY, HE SAID, THAT AMERICA HAD RESUMED BOMBING AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT CALLED FOR U.N. ASSISTANCE IN BRINGING ABOUT PEACE IN VIETNAM.