NEW YORK: No decision on the question of Great Powers’ veto in the United Nations’ Security Council was reached at a meeting of the representatives of the “Big Five” here last night [Nov 23] After a discussion lasting two and a half hours in which M. Molotov categorically opposed an attempt to limit the use of veto, they decided to drop the question and leave it to the Assembly.

After declaring that he could not accept either the British, the United States or the Chinese proposals, M. Molotov [Soviet Union] proposed that the “Big Five” should draft a resolution asking the Assembly to declare: Firstly that it considers inopportune any attempt to revise the United Nations’ Charter.

Secondly, it rejects proposals tending to limit the use of veto. M. Molotov said that the only way to improve the use of veto was not by adding to the Security Council’s rules of procedure but by improving the spirit in which the council did its work. … Mr. Burnes [United States] said that he had much sympathy with the smaller powers which believed that the veto was being abused. He thought the veto should be used only in grave matters.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2021