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UNITED NATIONS, Monday
(AAP-Reuter). - Security
Council members, after two ses
sions of debating the Iranian crisis,
are privately working on a resolu
tion aimed at freeing the Ameri
can hostages in Tehran.
A council source said that, in addition
to demanding the freeing of the 50
hostages held since the storming of the
US Embassy on November 4, the draft
resolution was likely to call for the peace
ful settlement of differences between the
US and Iran.
It would also give Secretary-General
Mr Waldheim wide discretion in his
private efforts to settle the crisis.
It was not clear when the draft might
be submitted.
Mr Abdalla Bishara, chief delegate of
Kuwait and the only Middle Hast mem
ber of the council, said it would not be
until Wednesday evening. But US Am
bassador Mr Donald McHenry said he
hoped the council could complete action
by tomorrow.
The council is due to meet again today.
Some diplomats said it might be wise
to postpone the adoption of a resolution
until there were assurances that the Ira
nians were willing to maintain a dialogue
with the UN.
They said Mr Waldheim now had a
key role in attempts to defuse the crisis.
Before the council resumed its debate
last night, Mr Waldheim said he, wel
comed Iran's decision to send a new envoy
to New York.
But in Tehran, Iran's Foreign Minister
Mr Sadeq Qotbzadeh, said he was send
ing only an administrator to Iran's UN
mission and he would not take part in the
Security Council debate.
Mr Waldheim told reporters he under
stood the new envoy would be in general
attendance at the UN and added, "I
consider this helpful; I don't know what
his mandate is, but I consider this is a
positive development".
He said the Iranians had repeatedly
assured him of their interest in a peaceful
negotiated settlement.
"I hope that on this basis we can
continue our negotiations", he said, not
ing that public statements did not always
coincide with attitudes expressed in
private talks.
The Austalian Ambassador to the UN,
Mr Harold Anderson, told the Security
Council that actions in Iran were in clear
conflict with the Vienna Convention and
other obligations.
Australia joined with all previous
speakers in urging in the strongest terms
that the hostages be released without
delay and be provided with all necessary
protection.
WASHINGTON, Monday (AAP
NYTNS). - President Carter gave the
deposed Shah of Iran temporary sanc
tuary yesterday at an Air Force hospital
in San Antonio, Texas, and left open the
possibility of permanent asylum it a suit
able haven was not found abroad.
The official explanation, issued by the
White House, was that the deposed Shah
was moved from his New York hospital
to Texas to allow him a secure place to
recuperate "pending further onward
travel plans".
But the President, who made the de
cision to allow the Shah US Government
facilities for the first time since his arrival
in the US on October 22, did not rule out
the possibility that the Shah might be
given asylum.
Returning from a weekend at Camp
David, Mr Carter was asked, "Are you
going to offer the Shah permanent ex
ile?"
"I can't answer that now", the Presi
dent replied.
Religious duty to vote. - Page 5.
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