General full information on prisoners who were still detained and prisoners who had died. This information would be examined by an Ad Hoc Commission which might also collect additional information. However, the Soviet Union and other Soviet bloc countries refused to cooperate with the Commission and completely ignored its requests for information.

This question was again considered by the Assembly at its eighth session in 1953. During the debate, the United States representative reviewed the continued failure of the Soviet Union and other Soviet bloc countries to cooperate in this matter, and urged the Assembly to maintain its interest in this problem until a satisfactory solution is reached. The United States representative also made a special appeal to the Soviet Union and the other governments which had not yet given a full accounting of prisoners under their control to reconsider their past policies. The Assembly adopted a resolution expressing grave and continuing concern over the evidence which had been presented, and appealing to all governments and authorities still holding World War II prisoners to give them an unrestricted opportunity of repatriation. The Ad Hoc Commission was continued in existence, and all governments and authorities which had not already done so were urged to give the Commission their full cooperation.

SECURITY COUNCIL

The Security Council, in article 24 of the United Nations Charter, is given primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The 5 major powers, China, France, the U. S. S. R., the United Kingdom, and the United States, together with 6 states elected by the General Assembly for 2-year terms (Colombia, Denmark, Lebanon, Turkey, New Zealand, Brazil for 1954), constitute its membership. The Council is organized in such a way as to be able to function at all times.

The role envisaged in the charter for the Security Council has not fully materialized because of the hostile attitude of the U. S. S. R. and the number of times its representatives have exercised the veto on proposals before the Council. Nevertheless, the availability of the Security Council has in itself been an important factor in the international community and constitutes an inducement for states first to attempt direct settlement of disputes and situations that might otherwise involve breaches of the peace.

Among the matters concerning the maintenance of international peace and security with which the Security Council was concerned during 1953 are the following:

Kashmir

During 1953, the United Nations efforts to achieve a peaceful solution of the Kashmir problem continued to center in proposals for demilitarization of the area preparatory to a free and impartial plebiscite under United Nations auspices to determine the eventual affiliation of the Kashmir state, either with Pakistan or with India. Dr. Frank P. Graham, United Nations representative for India and Pakistan, who has been charged by the Security Council to make arrangements for demilitarization, continued his efforts toward this end and further reduced the outstanding differences between the parties. Fundamental differences, however, did remain concerning the nature and number of troops to be permitted on both sides of the cease-fire line at the end of the demilitarization period. During the summer months, a series of conversations were held between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan which resulted in the public announcement that the two prime ministers proposed to pursue further their efforts to reach agreement and would expect to have a plebiscite administrator installed by April 30, 1954.

Palestine

During 1953, the Security Council continued to be concerned with the Palestine question, and during the latter months of the year the Council devoted considerable attention to certain disputes involving Jordan and Israel, and Syria and Israel. The former dispute related to Israel's retaliatory action against the Jordan village of Kibya and the general problem of the enforcement of the Jordan-Israel General Armistice Agreement. The latter dispute concerned an Israeli waterdiversion project in the demilitarized zone on the Syrian-Israeli frontier. Other difficulties between Israel and the surrounding Arab States were handled by the various mixed armistice commissions established by the bilateral general armistice agreements between Israel and her Arab neighbors. The chairman of each of the mixed armistice commissions is the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce

Supervision Organization (formerly Lt. Gen. William E. Riley, USMC, retired, and since June 1953, Maj. Gen. Vagn Bennike, of Denmark). Under the Security Council resolution of August 11, 1949, the Chief of Staff is an agent of the Council. The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, a body created by the General Assembly in December 1948 continued to concentrate during the year on ways and means for assessing the compensation which might be paid to Arab refugees and on putting into operation arrangements which have been made for the release of Arab accounts blocked in Israeli banks.

Trieste

Since it has not been possible to implement the Italian Peace Treaty provisions regarding the establishment of the Free Territory of Trieste, the United States and the United Kingdom whose troops occupy part of the territory under the treaty, have been making efforts to obtain Italian-Yugoslav agreement for a peaceful solution of the problem. On October 8, 1953, the United States and the United Kingdom announced their intention of withdrawing their troops from their zone of occupation and turning over administration and control to Italy. Following this announcement, the U. S. S. R. again renewed in the Security Council its proposal for implementation of the Italian Peace Treaty provisions by Council action to name a Governor for the projected Free Territory. The U. S. S. R. characterized United States-United Kingdom efforts to promote a direct ItaloYugoslav agreement as a violation of the Peace Treaty. Over vigorous Soviet opposition, the United States and other friendly members of the Security Council were able to obtain successive postponements of discussion of this matter in the Council in the belief that Council discussion might adversely affect the prospects of the direct negotiations being conducted through normal diplomatic channels among the interested governments.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Among the various topics under consideration in 1953 by the Council and committees established by it were the following: Methods to increase world productivity; methods of financing economic development; international action for conservation and utilization of nonagricultural and water resources; plans for a program of concerted practical action in the social field; a review of the U. N. expanded program of technical assistance and measures designed to increase its efficacy; a review of the activities of UNICEF and the High Commissioner for Refugees and the continuation of both; tightened controls over the production and distribution of narcotic drugs; forced labor; the new action program in the field of human rights proposed by the United States; and a review of the programs of the specialized agencies, with particular reference to the coordination of activities and the establishment of U. N. priorities. The Council also discussed in detail the reports of the 3 regional commissions and 8 functional commissions. By way of illustration some of these subjects are discussed in greater detail in the following paragraphs.

1. Financing of economic development of the underdeveloped countries

In February 1952 the General Assembly instructed ECOSOC to prepare a detailed plan for establishing "as soon as circumstances permit" a special multilateral fund to assist the economic development of underdeveloped countries. ECOSOC turned over to a group of experts the task of preparing a detailed plan. The plan prepared by the experts, "Report on a Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development,' was on the agenda of the recently concluded 16th session of ECOSOC. At the 16th ECOSOC the United States representative took the position that the United States is not prepared, in the light of its other commitments, to support the establishment at this time of an international fund for economic development. The United States did, however, state that if an effective internationally supervised system of worldwide disarmament could be established, this Government would be prepared to ask its people "to devote a portion of the savings thus realized through such disarmament to an international fund for economic development." The United States representative invited other governments to join with the United States in a declaration of intention to this effect. The declaration approved by the Council was referred to the 8th General Assembly for its consideration.

2. Progress in transport and communications matters

In the field of customs formalities two proposed agreements to facilitate international motoring and tourism were referred to United Nations member governments for comment in preparation for a United Nations conference on this subject

to be convened sometime in 1954. These agreements relate to the temporary importation of private vehicles and to the importation of the effects of tourists traveling by any form of transportation.

In the field of transport the Council has approved the calling together of a group of not more than nine experts representing countries having a substantial interest in the international transport of dangerous goods. The immediate task of this committee will be to identify and categorize by group the various types of dangerous goods moving in international traffic and to make recommendations with respect to the pictorial labeling of such goods and the simplification of papers involved in their shipment.

3. Concerted practical action in the social field

Following a request from the General Assembly for a review of the programs of the U. N. in the social field and based on a consideration of the first comprehensive report on the world social situation, ECOSOC adopted at its 16th session a resolution providing for further concentration of U. N. and specialized agency activities in this field. The areas of work such as health, nutrition, education, and housing were set forth and the use of practical techniques of community development training and the strengthening of national and local organizations necessary for administering social programs was emphasized.

4. Progress in narcotics control

The Council convened a United Nations Opium Conference in May 1953 with 34 states participating. The Conference drafted an international instrument which is to be known as the protocol for limiting and regulating the cultivation of the poppy plant, the production of, international and wholesale trade in, and use of opium.

The protocol represents a substantial advance in the international control of narcotics. It strengthens national control systems, especially in the opium producing countries, and imposes greater responsibility and duties on the existing control bodies--the Permanent Central Opium Board, the supervisory body, the United Nations, and the International Court of Justice. Provision is made for local inquiries by the Permanent Central Opium Board and in extreme cases for placing an import-export embargo upon a party failing to comply with the provisions of the protocol. There are also provisions setting up machinery for obtaining statistics and estimates on which limitation of production will in large measure be based. Nineteen states, including the United States, were authorized by their governments to sign the newly drafted international instrument. 5. Technical assistance in the field of human rights

The Council recommended the establishment of two additional technicalassistance programs in the United Nations, one for promoting the rights of women and the other for promoting the eradication of prejudice and discrimination and the protection of minorities. The first of these programs had been proposed initially by the Commission on the Status of Women and the second by the Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and the Protection of Minorities. Both recommendations were approved by the General Assembly at its 1953 session.

6. Forced labor

The Ad Hoc Committee on Forced Labor established jointly by ECOSOC and the ILO held its final meeting in 1953 and published its report. The report is well documented and proves conclusively the existence of forced labor in the U. S. S. R. and its Satellites. The report was published too late for consideration at the 16th session, but thorough discussion of it and methods for the abolition of the system will be considered at the first session of the Council in 1954. The report has attracted wide publicity.

7. Regional commissions

The three regional commissions continued their economic work in which nearly all members of the U. N. are given the chance to take an active part. The ECE continued to study the situation in Europe and at its last session considered an ECE survey which analyzed the economic developments since the war. ECAFE continued its work in studying ways of mobilizing domestic capital in the region, a problem which assumes major proportions in the South Asian area. In Latin America, ECLA began a study of the possibilities for the development of a pulp and paper industry in Latin America.

TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL

All the 11 trust territories under the International Trusteeship System of the United Nations are important strategically and politically to the United States. The United States is particularly concerned with the strategic Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (the Marshalls, the Carolines, and the Marianas, formerly under Japanese mandate) which the United States administers under a trusteeship agreement approved by the United States and the Security Council of the United Nations. This agreement is not only designed to promote the welfare and development of the indigenous inhabitants but also the security of the United States and the rest of the free world. The United States has full authority to take whatever security measures it considers necessary in the area and must report annually to the United Nations on its administration of the territory. These reports are examined by the Trusteeship Council, whose conclusions and recommendations are transmitted to the Security Council, as well as to this Government.

The population of the 11 territories under trusteeship exceeds 18 million persons. In carrying out its responsibilities toward these peoples, the Trusteeship Council normally holds two regular sessions a year. In the course of these meetings, the Council examines the 11 annual reports submitted by the Governments administering the trust territories and adopts conclusions and recommendations with regard to each territory. In addition, the Council considers numerous petitions relating to conditions in the trust territories, almost 280 having been examined in 1953.

During the past year the Council also received reports of two of the periodic visiting missions it sends to the trust territories-its 1952 mission to the trust territories in West Africa and its 1953 mission to the territories in the Pacific (including the United States administered territory). The mission's reports on the trust territories in the Pacific were considered by the Council at its 12th session concurrently with its examination of the annual reports on these territories. The fifth annual report by the United States on its administration of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was among those considered at that session, and progress in the territory in various fields was welcomed by the Council, which also drew attention to problems requiring further attention. The Council took particularly favorable note of the inclusion in the United States delegation to the Council's 12th session of two Micronesians from the territory.

In the course of these continuing activities for promoting the development of the trust territories toward self-government or independence, the Council dealt with such basic issues as the rate of progress in trust territories towards selfgovernment or independence, the need for diversifying and otherwise strengthening the economies of these territories, means of bringing about greater participation in economic activities by the indigenous inhabitants, the eradication of widespread tropical diseases, the acceleration of programs to train indigenous teachers at all levels, and the problems of training indigenous inhabitants to assume increasingly responsible posts throughout the territories. In addition, the Council, sometimes through committees meeting between sessions, gave particular attention during the past year to the following special problems: (a) a comprehensive study of the problems of land utilization and land tenure in trust territories; (b) a particular problem arising from a land reallocation scheme in the British Trust Territory of Tanganyika, where members of the Wa-Meru Tribe petitioned against their eviction from certain lands; (c) the Ewe problem in British and French Togoland, where the Trusteeship Council has sought a solution to the difficulties resulting from the division of the homeland of the Ewe people between French and British administrations; (d) the problem of administrative unions, where trust territories share common administrative services with adjacent colonial territories; and (e) the extent to which the indigenous inhabitants of trust territories should participate in the work of the Trusteeship Council.

The Trusteeship Council's operations indirectly affect the development of other non-self-governing territories inhabited by more than 200 million people, as it is primarily through this Council that colonial policies are given a systematic and detailed examination by the United Nations. In the present world crisis, it is important that the United States, while maintaining close and effective relations with the colonial powers, also strengthen and render more effective its relations with the many nations recently emerged from colonial status, particularly in Asia, as well as among peoples now emerging. One means of countering the systematic effort of the U. S. S. R. to weaken confidence in the United States among such nations and peoples is for the United States to play an active and constructive role in the Trusteeship Council and other organs of the United Nations concerned with colonial problems.

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION Basic accomplishments

More than one-half the world's population is unable to read or write, and in certain countries the increase in population is outpacing the development of the educational system, so that the number of illiterate persons is in fact increasing. Faced with this growing problem the member states of UNESCO have joined in a program of fundamental education through which young and old are taught the rudiments of health, sanitation, and agriculture while learning how to read and write.

Education is gradually being extended through fundamental education centers and, as requested by member states, through clearinghouse activities, the exchange of information, conferences, seminars, and expert missions. As a result of help made available to member states Thailand has drawn up a 10-year educational program; Afghanistan has established an institute for education; and Burma has doubled its budget for public education and is building 1,000 new primary schools, 240 secondary schools, and a teacher-training college.

During the last 7 years UNESCO has been responsible in considerable measure for the revival of the international interchange of scientific information. It has accomplished this in three ways: (1) by providing assistance to scientific unions and societies through subventions and other services; (2) through establishing field science cooperation offices at Montevideo, Cairo, and New Delhi, to service those areas of the world where scientists are few, scattered, and isolated; and (3) by issuing special publications such as the International Social Science Bulletin, Impact, International Political Science Abstracts, and its series on com, ulsory education. One example is the establishment by UNESCO of the Advisory Committee on Arid Zone Research which guides UNESCO in its task of organizing international cooperation directed at making the more than one-quarter of the earth's land surface which is arid or semiarid more productive. To this end UNESCO attempts to find and make available the experience and expert knowledge gained from experiments and projects carried out in many parts of the world, and assists in the creation and extension of research stations for the study of arid-zone problems. In 1953 the committee has directed its attention in particular to problems relating to human and plant ecology and wind and solar energy as they relate to arid zones.

The urgent problems of reconstruction in the fields of education, science, and culture following the close of World War II were of major concern to UNESCO during its first 3 years of existence. UNESCO served as a clearinghouse and coordinating agency. The Organization made the necessary surveys and studies of the needs of schools, libraries, and of scientific and other cultural institutions; assisted in effecting the reestablishment of international relationship between scientists, educators, and other leaders; and helped replenish destroyed libraries and laboratories. With the help of a Temporary International Committee, which was established under the aegis of UNESCO, more than $160 million in voluntary contributions were made available to reestablish and rehabilitate war-damaged institutions through the provisions of such essentials as books and periodicals, library equipment, school supplies, audiovisual aids and equipment for vocational instruction and for handicapped children.

Accomplishments in 1953

UNESCO's program during 1953 was directed at a limited number of significant problems common to a great many of its member countries. By and large the activities of the organization concentrated on: (1) Helping member states to raise their educational levels through extension of its work in the fields of fundamental education, extension of education, and higher education; (2) supporting and encouraging the free flow of knowledge in the fields of science, education, and the arts; (3) encouraging research for the improvement of living conditions; and (4) stimulating increased understanding among peoples of different areas possessing different religious, ethnic, language and custom characteristics.

1. Raising the educational levels of member states.-The number of illiterate people in the world today outnumbers the literate. UNESCO is endeavoring to meet this problem through its program of fundamental education, a process by which illiterate adults are taught not only to read and write but to improve their health, agriculture practices and living conditions at the same time. UNESCO, at the request of and in cooperation with its member states, assists member states to meet their illiteracy problem by aiding in the training of national experts both in the methods of teaching and in the production of appropriate teaching materials.