principal task when it was established was to facilitate the postwar economic reconstruction of Europe. Recently ECE has been giving attention to problems and opportunities arising from increasing affluence and growing interchange among nations. This work has included environmental problems, container transport, simplification of international trade procedures, EastWest trade, and standardization.

Over the years ECE has evolved into a forum where East and West can consult on common economic problems and develop conventions on nonpolitical subjects of mutual interest. It provides a unique forum for expanding East-West exchange in commercial, economic, technical, and scientific fields.

ECE's activities received a new focus in 1975 as the result of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).1/ The CSCE Final Act, signed in Helsinki on August 1, 1975, identified ECE as one of the major forums through which the participating states would continue the multilateral process initiated by the CSCE. Specific tasks referred to ECE in the Final Act included (1) a study of the possibilities for creating a multilateral system of notification of changes in laws and regulations concerning foreign trade; (2) encouragement of international cooperation in the field of trade promotion, including marketing; (3) encouragement of international work on the harmonization of statistical nomenclatures; (4) improvement of the provision of information on general conditions for industrial cooperation and guidance on the preparation of contracts in this field; (5) development and expansion of cooperation in the field of environment; (6) a study of the procedures and experience of governments in developing capabilities for predicting environmental consequences of economic activities and technological development; (7) intensification of the work of the ECE Inland Transport Committee with a view to improving international transportation links; (8) continued work on eliminating disparities arising from national legal provisions applied to traffic on inland waterways which are subject to international conventions; (9) a study of possibilities for expanding multilateral scientific and technological cooperation, taking into account

1/ The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. opened at Helsinki July 3-7, 1973; continued at Geneva Sept. 18, 1973-July 21, 1975; and concluded at Helsinki on Aug. 1, 1975. The Final Act was signed by representatives of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, United States, and Yugoslavia.

models for projects and research used in various international organizations; and (10) fostering scientific and technological cooperation by sponsoring conferences, symposia, and study and working groups such as those which would bring younger scientists and technologists together with eminent specialists in their fields.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND
THE PACIFIC

Established in 1947, ESCAP today has 31 members, of which five (France, Netherlands, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom, United States) are from outside the region. The regional members are in the vast geographic area from Iran in the west to the island countries of the Pacific in the east, and from Mongolia south to New Zealand. There are also eight associate members, including the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. ESCAP's headquarters are in Bangkok, Thailand, although some subsidiary organizations and activities are in other Asian cities.

The Commission held its 31st plenary session at New Delhi, India from February 26 to March 7, 1975. The major substantive business of the session was the negotiation and adoption by consensus of a resolution. titled "New Delhi Declaration: Regional Contribution to the Establishment of a New International Economic Order." The Declaration is composed of a series of admonitions directed at developed and developing member countries on what they should do to improve the quality of life and living conditions of the common people. The Declaration urges member states to (1) rededicate themselves to the achievement of the objectives of the Second UN Development Decade, (2) increase food production, (3) accelerate social service programs, (4) resolve balance of payments difficulties, (5) utilize domestic technology, (6) cooperate in solving commodity problems, (7) explore cooperation in shipping, and (8) implement work programs in priority areas. It calls on the countries of the region to approach their problems in a spirit of understanding and cooperation to improve the quality of life through growth with justice. In addition to the New Delhi Declaration, the Commission adopted resolutions establishing a center for agricultural machinery in Manila; approving a regional plan of action to enhance the role of women in development, with a center to be located in Iran; providing for a new governing structure of ESCAP regional training institutions; and proposing the creation of a regional center for transfer of technology to be located in New Delhi. The question of creating a shipping committee within ESCAP was discussed at length, but decision on the matter was deferred until the next plenary session.

For the first time in several years, landlocked countries in ESCAP were insistent and vocal in seeking regional solutions to their transit problems.

Much of the Commission's work continued to be done throughout the year in specialized committees and other subbodies. Participation in some of the groups was restricted to regional members. However, the United States took part in committee meetings having to do with social development; offshore minerals prospecting; agriculture; industry, housing, and technology; energy; trade; transport and communications; and typhoons.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA

Established in 1948 as a center for planning and programs related to the economic development of Latin America, ECLA is composed of 28 Western Hemisphere members, 3 nonregional members (France, Netherlands, and United Kingdom), and 2 associate members (West Indies Associated States and Belize). In addition to its headquarters in Santiago, ECLA maintains small branch offices in six Latin American cities and in Washington.

The Commission held its 16th plenary session at Chaguaramas, a conference site near Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, May 6-14, 1975. U.S. participation throughout the session was affected by the controversy over Latin American attempts to exclude developedcountry members of ECLA from working-level deliberations. This controversy had begun in the early 1970's and has continued in various ECLA meetings since. It was a major issue in 1971 at the 14th plenary session when, over U.S. objections, the Commission created a "Committee of High-Level Government Experts" composed only of the developing country members to deal with the question of review and appraisal of progress under the International Development Strategy for the Second UN Development Decade. Consideration of the second regional appraisal, prepared by that Committee, was the major substantive business of the 16th plenary session. The United States again expressed its regret that it had not been included in the preparatory deliberations. By a vote of 22 to 1 (U.S.), with no abstentions, the Commission adopted a comprehensive three-part resolution entitled "Chaguaramas Appraisal." While endorsing Part I, "The Appraisal," the United States and some other developed country delegations expressed serious reservations concerning certain aspects of Part II, "Plan of Action," and of Part III, "Work Program of the ECLA Secretariat and of the Committee of High-Level Government Experts."

The subject of exclusion became more intense in 1975 as the result of the desire of some ECLA members to create standing committees in the fields of population, science and technology, and industry that would be

restricted to the Latin American members. Several attempts were made to negotiate compromise formulas that would enable the Latin Americans to caucus separately on issues of interest only to them, while preserving the right of the developed countries to participate on any ECLA committee in which they had an interest. These efforts failed due to the insistence of certain Latin American states to exclude completely the developed countries from the proposed committees. The Commission ultimately adopted two resolutions on the issue. The United States supported one that called on the Executive Secretary to study ECLA's procedures and mechanisms and to report his findings and recommendations for improvement to the Committee of the Whole in 1976. The United States opposed the other one which, as an interim measure, gave the responsibility for population, industry, and science and technology to the Committee of HighLevel Government Experts--a committee from which the United States was excluded.

The Commission adopted a number of other resolutions on various economic matters. The United States supported an important resolution calling for a study of Latin American balance of payments problems and possible solutions to them, such as the establishment of a new regional financial "safety net" for Latin America, and others concerning the activities of the UN University in respect to the application of science and technology to development, the future activities of the Latin American Institute for Economic and Social Planning, technical cooperation among developing countries, and ECLA's program of work and order of priorities for 1975-77.

The United States opposed on substantive grounds several other resolutions that called for surveillance of transnational corporations, organization of producers associations, a study of the effects of monetary instability and inflation in developed countries on the economies of Latin American countries, and establishment of a new committee on development and cooperation limited in membership to independent countries of the Caribbean area.

Following the 16th plenary session, the Executive Secretary of ECLA held consultations with Department of State officials for the purpose of finding procedures that would remove or minimize the problem which had arisen for the United States and other developed country members as a result of their exclusion from some working-level deliberations. In doing so, he was responding to the resolution instructing him to study ECLA's procedures and mechanisms and make recommendations for improvement to the Committee of the Whole. He also consulted with Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and Federal Reserve Board officials with respect to the resolution that called for a study of a new regional financial safety net for Latin America.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

ECA was established by ECOSOC in 1958. Full membership is limited to independent African countries; the United Kingdom, France, and Spain are associate members. The United States, while not a member, supports the Commission's activities by maintaining liaison with ECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, attending a number of its meetings as an observer, and providing technical and economic assistance.

ECA is charged with (1) promoting the economic and social development of Africa; (2) strengthening economic relations among African countries and territories; (3) undertaking studies of economic development; (4) collecting, evaluating, and disseminating economic and technical information; and (5) helping formulate policies to promote economic development. The Commission also provides advisory services to its members in various economic and social fields.

During 1975 the United States sent an observer delegation, headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Charles James, to the third meeting of the ECA Conference of Ministers, held in Nairobi, Kenya, February 24-28. Also during 1975, a new Executive Secretary, Dr. Adebayo Adedeji, replaced Dr. Robert K. A. Gardiner, who had held the post of ECA Executive Secretary for more than a decade. Dr. Adedeji, formerly Federal Commissioner for Economic Development and Reconstruction in the Nigerian Government, assumed his new post on June 1.

The United States continued to provide bilateral assistance to the ECA in 1975 by financing (1) provision of U.S. experts to assist ECA in trade promotion, livestock development, and agricultural economics programs; (2) the training of African officials in the United States; and (3) ECA meetings of voluntary agencies working in Africa. In addition, the United States provided funds for ECA activities promoting the creation of women's bureaus in African countries, for publication of an ECA newsletter on women's activities, and for the launching of a Pan-African Women's Center. At the end of the year, in view of the leadership change in ECA, it was agreed that a joint AID/ECA team would undertake to review existing and proposed U.S. AID assistance to ECA.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA

ECWA came into existence on January 1, 1974. The August 1973 ECOSOC resolution that approved its establishment provided that "the Commission shall consist of the states members of the United Nations situated in Western Asia which at present call on the services of the United Nations Economic and Social Office in Beirut."