The press announced that the Inter-American Economic and Social Council met in Punta del Este, Uruguay, under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS) from August 5 to 17, 1961. A draft act embodying the principles of the “Alliance for Progress” plan for the economic development of Latin America envisaged by the United States was put before the meeting by the delegates of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and the United States, according to press reports. Mr. Douglas Dillon, United States Secretary of the Treasury, promised that his government would provide active assistance in the form of development loans running up to 50 years, but Mr. Dillon made it clear that the development scheme depended on the local programs for social and economic advancement. It was noted that aside from the United States offers, some European and odier countries had indicated that they would take part in development programs in the area.

On February 23, 1962, delegations of twelve European nations, meeting in Paris, agreed on a draft convention for the creation of the European Space Research Organization (ESRO) with a program to cost $280 million.1 The member nations to the agreement were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. Sir Harrie Massey (United Kingdom), chairman of the conference, stated that the draft convention would be submitted to the governments for signature in the following two or three months. The delegates also agreed to prolong the life of the European Preparatory Commission for Space Research. The committee would continue its planning work so that ESRO could begin functioning as soon as it was established. The group was to cooperate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States and was to be in close touch with the International Committee on Space Research. ESRO's program was to involve the firing of sounding rockets and various kinds of satellite-launching vehicles.

The Atlantic Convention of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations met in Paris from January 8 to January 20, 1962, with citizens from every NATO member country present. At the conclusion of its meeting, the Convention unanimously adopted a document to be known as the Declaration of Paris. Some of the delegates regretted that the declaration did not go further in its demands for an Atlantic government and for common foreign and defense policies, and was not more revolutionary in spirit. Most of the delegates, however, considered the declaration to be a good starting point and a first step to be followed by further action toward an Atlantic Community.

The Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) held the first part of its seventh ordinary session in London from May 29 to June 1, 1961. Mr. Arthur Conte (France) was President of the session. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. Harold Macmillan, welcomed the delegates and broached the question of his country's relations with Europe in the following terms: 1) the movement toward European unity should be allowed to grow naturally—it could not be imposed; 2) the United Kingdom was determined to press forward with the consolidation of western Europe; and 3) three problems confronting his country vis-à-vis European unity were (a) British agricultural difficulties, (b) the special relationship of the Commonwealth countries with Great Britain, and (c) British association with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The nineteenth session of the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was held in Geneva from November 13 to December 9, 1961, under the chairmanship of Mr. Edmundo Penna Barbosa da Silva (Brazil). The trade ministers of 44 contracting countries met from November 27 to 30 to discuss the main problems of international trade, inter alia: the reduction of tariff barriers to trade, trade in agricultural products, and obstacles to trade of less developed countries. In addition to these main subjects, the question of the application of article XXXV to Japan was raised.

The Eighth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS) took place from January 22–31, 1962, at Punta del Este, Uruguay, to consider the threat posed to the western hemisphere's security by Cuba. Before the meeting, the Inter-American Peace Committee, a standing committee of OAS, after investigating charges made by the representative of Peru that Cuba was engaged in promoting subversive movements in other Latin American countries, unanimously approved a report to be put before the meeting of the foreign ministers. This report included the following points: 1) that the identification of the government of Cuba with the Marxist-Leninist ideology and socialism of the Soviet type presupposed positions that were basically antagonistic to the principle established in the OAS charter that the solidarity and high aims of OAS were based on the effective exercise of representative democracy; 2) that the present government of Cuba impeded the exercise of the right of self-determination, as it was conceived in the inter-American system; 3) that the serious and systematic violation of human rights by the government of Cuba not only constituted one of the principal causes of the international tensions affecting the peace of the hemisphere but was also in open contradiction to various instruments of the inter-American system. Also, it stated 4) that the connections of the government of Cuba with the Sino-Soviet bloc of countries were incompatible with the principles and standards that governed the regional system, and particularly with the collective security established by the OAS charter and the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance; and 5) that the intense subversive activity in which the countries of the Sino Soviet bloc were engaged in America and the activities of the Cuban government that had been pointed out in the report represented attacks upon inter-Amercian peace and security as well as on the sovereignty and political independence of the American states, and therefore a serious violation of fundamental principles of the inter-American system.

The twentieth plenary meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Which was held in Tokyo from May 10 through 23, 1961, was attended by delegates from 34 member states and from nineteen nonmember countries. Mr. E. D. White, chairman of the Standing Committee, commented in presenting its annual report that 1960–1961 had been a good year for cotton, with production at a new high and consumption well sustained. The cotton surplus of former years had been reduced to more manageable proportions, he added, with the result that in many cases prices had become more favorable for producers. He stressed the importance of keeping under study factors that might influence the long-term prospects of cotton. The Executive Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Robert Evans, noted in his annual report that there had not been any agreements to stabilize cotton prices and markets for a number of years. While United States stabilization of its own markets and prices had done much to stabilize those of the rest of the world, it could also be argued that changes in United States policy had upset the world market.

At its meeting on December 12, 1961, the Council of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agreed to maintain the European Monetary Agreement in force, although with certain modifications. The chief amendment concerned the maximum period for the utilization of credits granted by the European Fund. In addition, OECD could henceforth decide, in exceptional cases, that a credit granted by the European Fund might be repaid in installments spread over no more than two years.

The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) Council of Ministers held its seventh annual meeting on March 27–29, 1961, in Bangkok, Thailand. The ministers exchanged information on matters affecting the treaty area and studied the report of the military advisers, who had met the preceding week. In an official statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the Council announced that if the current efforts to end hostilities in Laos failed, and active military attempts to obtain control of the country continued, the members of SEATO were prepared, within the terms of its treaty, to take whatever action might be appropriate in the circumstances. The Council noted with concern the continued offensive by rebel elements in Laos, who were continuing to be supplied and assisted by communist powers in flagrant disregard of the Geneva Accords, and emphasized that SEATO had no aggressive intentions. The Council desired a united, independent, and sovereign Laos, not subordinate to any nation or group of nations. The statement also expressed concern at the efforts of an armed minority, supported from the outside, to destroy the government of Vietnam and declared SEATO's firm resolve not to acquiesce in any such takeover of that country. Finally, the Council recorded its view that the organization should continue to keep developments in Laos and Vietnam under urgent and constant review. On other aspects of the situation in the treaty area, the Council firmly reiterated the need for collective defense, and for economic and social development. The Council stressed the importance of continuing to develop good relations and of increasing the sense of community among free countries in the area. The Council noted that further progress had been made during the year in jointly studying techniques of subversion and insurgency and in exchanging information on means of countering such activities. It noted with satisfaction the planning work of the military advisers, the reorganization of the military planning office, and the effective coordination achieved by the forces of member countries in the several military exercises conducted during the past year.

The International Tin Council met in October 1961, at Which time the tin producing countries proposed that the “floor” and “ceiling” prices under the agreement should be raised from their respective levels of £730 and, £880 a ton to, £800 and, £1,000 a ton. The motion was, however, defeated by the votes of the consuming countries.

The Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) held the second part of its seventh ordinary session in Paris on December 11–15, 1961, under the presidency of Mr. Arthur Conte (French Socialist). In addition to discussing the state of European security, the Assembly debated questions concerning Berlin and the agricultural problems involved in the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community (EEC). The debate on agriculture was concerned with the implementation of recommendation 53, adopted in November 1960, in which the Assembly had called for negotiations for the accession of the United Kingdom to the EEC as a full member. Mr. Sicco Mansholt, vice-chairman of the EEC Commission, stated that if the United Kingdom entered the EEC, her agriculture would not have to overcome any exceptional difficulties which would justify a longer transition period than that of the six original members. He stated that this conclusion had been reached after a detailed comparison of relative prices and outputs in the United Kingdom and the six members of EEC. The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution, presented by Mr. Hubert Leynen (Belgian Social Christian), calling upon the seven member governments of WEU to spare no effort to insure the success of the Brussels negotiations.

The Council of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) held its fifteenth session from October 23 to October 27, 1961, in Geneva, under the chairmanship of Dr. Mario Raul Pico (Argentina). During the first day's meeting, the delegates granted observer status to delegations from Japan and the European Economic Community (EEC). The Council examined a progress report in which it was noted that the Committee had helped re-establish in new homes 56,462 migrants in the first seven months of 1961—a drop of almost 3,000 from the same period in 1960. The decline resulted chiefly from a slowdown in migration to Australia. The total number of workers—both industrial and agricultural—leaving Europe for Latin America under ICEM auspices during the seven-month period was almost double that of 1960.

The 21st plenary meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) took place in Washington from May 9 to May 23, 1962. In the Committee of the Whole, attention was given to the world supply and demand situation, government actions affecting cotton, and steps needed for the further advance of the world cotton economy. A statement, prepared by a working group headed by Mr. Edouard J. Senn (France), developed from the discussions of the committee, presented the following observations, among others: 1) The overall statistical situation in raw cotton remained strong. Acreage had risen to a new peak; cotton consumption was at a record high level; there had been a reasonable degree of price stability in world cotton markets; and most countries would probably dispose of the bulk of their exportable supplies. World stocks were likely to decline to their lowest level since 1953. The committee recognized, however, that the over-all reduction in cotton stocks in the period under review had been brought about mainly by reason of partial crop failures in certain countries and that, with normal yields in these countries, the relationship between supply and demand could well have been reversed. 2) Cotton consumption continued to break new records with each successive season, but undue optimism had to be tempered by an awareness of the intense competition from the manmade fibers which had brought about a decline in cotton's share of the total textile market. 3) The profit margins of cotton textile manufacturers, as well as of producers, were also limited by rising costs and by the highly competitive nature of the textile industry. 4) In the opinion of the committee there was no doubt that the restriction of acreage in the United States had been a major factor in the orderly liquidation of the cotton surplus and in the return to a better balance between world cotton supply and demand. 5) The committee noted with considerable interest the statement of the United States delegation that attention was currently being given to a number of plans to introduce a greater element of freedom in the manner of cotton production and to reduce or eliminate the differential between domestic and export prices in the United States. 6) The committee also welcomed the reassurance by the United States delegation that in formulating its cotton policy the United States would always have in mind the interests of other nations and seek to avoid any dislocation of the world cotton market.

The International Wheat Council held its 32d session in London from June 27 to June 30, 1961. The Council heard reports on the work of the sixth session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Group on Grains. An interim report on the operations of participating countries in the crop year for the nine months to the end of April 1961 showed that total commercial purchases by member importing countries from member exporting countries under the terms of the International Wheat Agreement were about the same as during the same period in the previous year. Commercial and special trade of member exporting countries with non-participating countries showed a considerable increase over the same period last year, as did commercial purchases by some exporting countries from other member exporting countries. The Council also heard a report on FAO activities in regard to distributing food surpluses to needy people.