Page 387 - The Arabian Gulf States_Neat

SETTLEMENT OE BAHRAIN-IRAN DISPUTE 323 :
upon by the two parties, as described in this announcement,
envisages an ultimate action by the Security Council”.1
In spite of the Secretary-General’s assurance in the above
announcement, some Member States questioned his role in agreeing
to exercise his good offices in the said matter without first bringing it
to the attention of the Security Council. The Soviet Union, for
example, took the view that the Secretary-General’s procedure in
the case of Bahrain was inconsistent with the provisions of the
United Nations Charter. In his reply of 2 April 1970 to the
Secretary-General’s announcement of 28 March 1970, the USSR
Permanent Represerttative to the United Nations stated as follows:
“It is a matter of common knowledge that according to the Charter of the
United Nations, questions of this kind and the decisions taken on them
came within the jurisdiction of the Security Council. The statement in the
note [the Secretary-General’s announcement] that actions such as this by
the Secretary-General, have become customary in United Nations practice,
cannot serve to justify these actions...’’
The letter added:
“In this connection, the USSR Mission to the United Nations considers it
necessary to emphasize once again that under the United Nations Charter,
decisions on matters connected with actions by the United Nations relating
to the maintenance of international peace and security are taken by the I
Security Council.2 (
t
In supporting his action regarding Bahrain, the Secretary-
General, in a letter dated 6 April 1970, stated:

“.......... From time to time, as in the present case affecting Bahrain,
Member States of the United Nations approach the Secretary-General II
directly asking for the exercise of his good offices on a delicate matter.
They explain that they do so because they feel that a difference between ;
them may be capable of an amicable solution if dealt with at an early stage
quietly and diplomatically and, therefore, it would be inadvisable to take
the particular matter before the Security Council or to consult its members
individually on it.............’’. ■
£
He then continued:
“In the case in question, the good offices mission in Bahrain is engaged
only in a fact-finding exercise. The facts found will, in due course, be
presented to the Security Council in the form of a report from the
Secretary-General. Any substantive action would be taken at that time and
only by the Security Council.3
1. See Note by the Secretary-General, U.N. Documents, S/9726 (28 March 1970),
p. 1.
2. For the contents of the above mentioned letter, see U.N. Document, S/9737 (4
April 1970) p. 1.
3. U.N. Document, S/9738 (6 April 1970), p. 2.