Editorial Note

By a letter dated February 8, 1949, addressed to the President of the Security Council, the representative of the Soviet Union requested that the question of the appointment of the Governor of the Free Territory [Page 499] of Trieste be considered by the Council in the near future. (Document S/1251, United Nations, Official Records of the Security Council, Fourth Year, Supplement for February 1949, page 6)

The Security Council considered the question on February 17 at which time the representative of the Soviet Union introduced a resolution proposing the appointment of Col. Hermann Flückiger, former Swiss Minister in Moscow, as Governor. (United Nations, Official Records of the Security Council, Fourth Year, (411th Meeting) No. 14, pages 1–15. The text of the proposed resolution, S/1260, is printed on pages 14–15.)

The Security Council gave further consideration to the question on February 21, on March 28, and finally on May 10 when the proposal by the Soviet Union was voted on and rejected. It received 2 votes in favor (that of the Ukrainian SSR and of the Soviet Union) and there were 9 abstentions. The Council remained seized of the question. (Ibid., (412th Meeting) No. 15, pages 1–15; (422nd Meeting) No. 25, pages 1–9; (424th Meeting) No. 27, pages 1–10)