Since January 1963, General de Gaulle's foreign policy has been subject to many contradictory or erroneous interpretations in the United States. It is necessary, therefore, to indicate its foundations, its main lines, some of the expectations and techniques peculiar to the General, and some of the obstacles it encounters. I will concentrate here on his views and policies toward France's Atlantic and European partners.

In comparing Soviet and American policies we find a paradox: The Soviets, though ideologically antagonistic to international organizations, are pressed politically to at least minimal participation by a concern for influence-building among neutralist countries; whereas the United States, which is ideologically attached to the principle of strengthening international organizations, deems t i necessary for political reasons to limit its commitments to the fulfillment of the UN's economic and social goals. Hence, from their competitive global struggle, their evaluations of trends in underdeveloped areas, and their domestic influences, derive a number of important similarities in Soviet and American behavior.

First, both are opposed to any significant expansion of large-scale operational responsibilities by international organizations. This is clear from their reluctance to channel more than a minimal fraction of their total foreign aid expenditure through international organizations.

Moscow's support of UN economic programs is a necessary act of political accommodation. Its contributions are minimal and inappropriate to its great-power status, its level of industry and resources. It has never accompanied its vocal support for an increase in the activity of a commission or agency, or even its advocacy of SUNFED, by a concrete or generous offer of financial assistance. The Soviet Union favors keeping programs for underdeveloped countries financially marginal because it is ideologically opposed to the expansion of UN activities. Moreover, foreign aid is an integral adjunct of Soviet diplomacy, and Moscow has no desire to see international organizations pre-empt or challenge the attraction of Soviet bilateral aid.

UNTEA served the important function of buffer between contending forces and in general accomplished a remarkably smooth transfer. In this regard the United Nations operation was a major success. The smooth transfer was achieved, however, at the cost of rights specifically guaranteed in the agreement—the rights of free speech and assembly. Furthermore, the United Nations preparatory task and responsibility in the future “act of self-determination” was minimized.

It may be argued that UNTEA policy in West Irian merely reflects the weakness of the United Nations in a nation-state world. Lack of UNTEA power certainly was an important aspect. The explanation, however, is more complex. It is significant to recall that the United Nations assumed its task under severe handicaps: It was given no time for adequate recruitment and preparation; from the start it was confronted with the legitimized presence of Indonesian troops; the status of the “Papuan flag” was never mentioned in the agreement; and general Papuan primitivity along with political naïveté and schisms among the small and newly created Papuan élite influenced UNTEA's approach.

UNTEA also met continuous Indonesian pressure aimed at shortening the period of its administration and weakening its authority in general. Statements by Indonesian officials cast doubt on Indonesia's willingness to adhere to the wording of the agreement. In trying to interpret Indonesian feelings it might be conceded that most Dutch-Indonesian agreements have imposed conditions which could be considered obnoxious to Indonesia. The rights of self-determination for the Papuan inhabitants—stipulated in the August 15 agreement—fall into this category.

In the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the steadily growing feeling generated by the frustrating confusion of the interwar period that the world needed some kind of orderly institutionalization of international payments relations at last found a formal expression. As early as 1930 John Maynard Keynes suggested “the management of the value of gold by a Supernational Authority, with a number of national monetary systems clustering round it.…” Keynes was fully aware of the political implications of this suggestion. He realized the significance for international cooperation of “a cabinet of Central Banks who would hold the sovereign power.” The timid attempts toward establishing in the monetary sphere effective international collaboration in the interwar period were frustrated by political considerations.

Federation of Malaysia: On August 5, 1963, the governments of Malaya, Indonesia, and the Philippines requested the Secretary-General, U Thant, to ascertain by a fresh approach, prior to the establishment of the Federation of Malaysia, the wishes of the people of Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak concerning their future political status. His survey was to be conducted within the context of principle 9 of the annex to General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV) of December 15, 1960. More specifically the Secretary-General was asked to consider whether in the recent elections in Sabah and Sarawak: 1) Malaysia had been a major issue if not the major issue; 2) electoral registers had been properly compiled; 3) elections had been free and there had been no coercion; and 4) votes had been properly polled and counted. In addition, he was to take into account the wishes of those who would have exercised their right of self-determination in the recent elections had they not been detained for political activities, imprisoned for political offenses, or absent from the country. Responding to this request and with the consent of the government of the United Kingdom, the Secretary-General set up two working teams under the supervision of his personal representative, which were to work in Sarawak and Sabah. The mission, consisting of nine individuals, held hearings and considered written communications.

The Security Council considered this question at its 1050th–1056th meetings, July 31–August 7, 1963. At the invitation of the President the representatives of Tunisia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Madagascar took places at the Security Council table. The question was being considered at the request of 32 African governments which had sent a letter to the President of the Security Council asking the Council to take up “the explosive situation existing in the Republic of South Africa” which they alleged constituted a serious threat to international peace and security. The letter was accompanied by an explanatory memorandum setting forth the important provisions of a resolution on this subject adopted by the heads of African states at Addis Ababa on May 22–25, 1963.

The Trusteeship Council held its 30th session comprising its 1203rd–1224th meetings from May 29 to June 26, 1963. At the 1203rd meeting Mr. Barnes (Liberia) was elected President of the Council and Mr. Corner (New Zealand) was elected Vice President.

Secretary-General U Thant in his Introduction to the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, 16 June 1962—15 June 1963 commented that the year under review had been marked by a number of developments which on the whole may be said to have brightened the international outlook and strengthened the UN as a result. According to the Secretary-General, the Cuban crisis provided the UN with the opportunity to help avert what appeared to be impending disaster. Proposals which he had been encouraged to make by a large number of Member States not directly involved in the crisis had the immediate effect of tending to ease the situation. In addition, the UN provided an opportunity, both through the Security Council and the Secretariat, for dialogues among the interested parties. The turn of the year also marked a sudden change for the better in the Congo. As a result the terms of the UN mandate in the Congo as far as the military force was concerned had now largely been fulfilled. External military interference in the Congo had ceased, the territorial integrity of the country had been secured, and law and order had generally been restored and were being maintained, although the situation in one or two areas still was giving some cause for concern.

The 36th session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), comprising the 1264th–1303rd meetings, was held in Geneva from July 2, 1963, to August 2, 1963, under the presidency of Mr. A. Patiño (Colombia).

The 38th session of the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was held at UN Headquarters, New York, on April 16 and 17, 1962, under the chairmanship of Mr. Louis Maire. The Council discussed the report of the first session of the Intergovernmental Committee on the World Food Program (IGC) and recommended that the program be initiated with minimum delay and that the pledging conference be convened at the earliest possible date.

At an extraordinary session of the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), held on January 10, 1963, the appointment of Mr. Jean Roullier (France) as Secretary-General was approved.

Annual Report of the Board of Governors to the General Conference: The report of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the seventh General Conference of the Agency covered the period July 1, 1962, to June 30, 1963. The report noted that one of the significant developments during the past year had been the General Assembly's decision at its seventeenth session to hold a third International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva in 1964. There had also been in developing countries an increasing interest in nuclear power, and preliminary survey teams had been sent by the Agency to Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand.

The eighteenth annual report of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, covering the fiscal year July 1, 1962–June 30, 1963, was presented to the Board of Governors on September 30, 1963. The report noted that the number of loans under preparation in the Bank had increased in the period under review, and although it happened that the total of funds lent declined from the previous year, there was no corresponding decline in the number of loans actually made.

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) held its 45th session on March 19–April 13, 1962, and its 46th session on May 17–June 29, 1962. In both of these sessions, the Council devoted much of its time to consideration of documentation for the fourteenth session of the Assembly. Although it decided to drop a study on the advantages brought by air transport, the Council approved the publication of three important air transport documents: a handbook of administrative clauses in bilateral agreements designed to assist states in the drafting of bilateral agreements; a study on air freight developments; and a study on inclusive tour services in international transport. The only new development in the field of technical assistance was the appointment of ICAO as the executing agency for a seventh Special Fund project, the establishment of a flight safety center in Beirut. In the Congo, experts recruited by ICAO continued to provide operational services at all major airports and round-the-clock flight information service at Leopoldville, to advise the Congolese authorities, and to train local personnel.

When the 47th session of the International Labor Conference was held in Geneva from June 5 to June 26, 1963, the membership had risen to 108 countries as a result of the recent entry of Algeria, Burundi, Jamaica, Rwanda, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. Mr. Joseph Modupe Johnson (Federal Minister of Labor, Nigeria) was unanimously elected President, but, following his resignation on June 18, the Conference elected Mr. Erik Dreyer (government delegate, Denmark) to the Presidency for the remainder of the session.

The eighteenth annual report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the fiscal year ending April 30, 1963, was transmitted to the Board of Governors on July 11, 1963, by the Acting Chairman of the Executive Board, Mr. Frank A. Southard, Jr. Summarizing the world payments situation, the report indicated that economic activity continued during 1962 to expand in most industrial countries. Exceptions to this general upward trend were recorded in the United Kingdom and Japan and were seen partly as the result of policies directed toward strengthening the balance of payments. In both 1961 and 1962 the value of world trade was some 5 percent higher than in the preceding year, and in 1962 the increase in the value of exports of primary producing countries as a group almost kept pace with that of the manufacturing countries, although declines in the prices of certain products adversely affected some nations.

Following the revolution in Syria, the United Arab Republic announced on March 10, 1963, that it would resume its participation in the Arab League, which it had boycotted since the Shtoura meeting in August 1962, when the former Syrian government accused the United Arab Republic of interfering in Syrian affairs. Iraq had already resumed active membership in the League after the overthrow of the Kassem regime. Algeria was admitted to League membership on August 16, 1962.

The Ministerial Council of the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) met in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 30 and May 1, 1963, for its eleventh session, under the chairmanship of Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The session was attended by the foreign ministers of the other three CENTO countries—Mr. Abbas Aram (Iran), Mr. Feridun Cemal Erkin (Turkey), and Lord Home (United Kingdom)—and by Mr. Dean Rusk, United States Secretary of State, who took part as an observer in accordance with normal practice, since the United States was not a full member of the Organization. The Council session had been preceded by the thirteenth meeting of the CENTO military committee held in Ankara on April 27–28, 1963.

The eleventh annual report of the Consultative Committee of the Colombo Plan was prepared at the Committee's meeting in Melbourne in November 1962. The report noted that, on the basis of available statistics, the rate of progress in the Colombo Plan area during 1961–1962 was uneven, with increases in gross national product of up to 8 percent. On a per capita basis, changes in gross national product ranged from increases of up to 6 percent to falls of 2 percent. One of the most encouraging developments of the year had been the growth of technical cooperation, not only between countries inside the Plan region and those outside it, but also between member countries within the region.

The tenth joint meeting of the European Parliament and the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe was held on September 17 and 18, 1963, under the joint presidency of Mr. Pierre Pflimin (French Popular Republican Movement [MRP]), President of the Consultative Assembly, and Mr. Gaetano Martino (Italian Liberal), President of the European Parliament. Mr. Hans Furler (German Christian Democrat) presented the report on the work of the European Parliament and Mr. E. Sassen, member of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) Commission, reported on Euratom. Mr. Albert Coppé, Vice President of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) High Authority, reviewed ECSC's recent achievements, particularly in social affairs for coal and steel workers.