UN General Assembly
1954

81. The Economic and Social Council carries a heavy responsibility as the main organ for directing and coordinating the policies of Member nations in this field on a world-wide basis. During its seventeenth and eighteenth sessions, major problems of international trade and payments were discussed. I mention international capital movements, stabilization of world commodity trade and prices, trade problems generally, with particular weight given to East-West trade. It might be said that no very tangible results were arrived but we should be grateful for what was achieved, and I feel confident that the scope for action in this field in the present world situation was once again carefully explored. 82. In this connexion we should bear in mind that the same and related problems come up for consideration very often from other angles in international bodies other than the Economic and Social Council to a considerable extent in bodies inside the United Nations.