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The task of this mission was to provide good offices in reducing tension between Cambodia and Thailand. The Special Representative was Herbert de Ribbing, and the mission was also known the "de Ribbing Mission." It lasted from August, 1966 to February, 1968.

Series consists of correspondence, memoranda, handwritten documents, incoming and outgoing cables, meeting agendas, minutes of meetings, verbatim records of meetings, agreements, treaties, incident reports, personnel reports, General Assembly reports, summaries of statements, annexes, extracts, notes, aides memoires, speeches, translations, press clippings, press releases, transcripts of news conferences, programmes, schedules, itineraries, charts, diagrams, maps, yearbooks, periodicals, vouchers, and routing slips.

Subjects include but are not limited to the following: administration; personnel; budgets; Thai-Burma relationship; Thai-Cambodia relationship; French-Siam relationship; Thai-Cambodian border incidents; frontier incidents; economic situation; political developments; formulation of new government; meetings with Thai and Cambodian government representatives; and closing of mission. Correpondents include U. Thant, Secretary-General; H. de Ribbing, Special Representative of Secretary-General to Cambodia and Thailand; Y. Akashi, Political Affairs Officer, de Ribbing Mission; C.V. Narasimhan, Cabinet Chief, United Nations Headquarters; Jose Rolz-Bennett, Acting Cabinet Chief; Prince Sihanouk of Royal Government of Cambodia and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thailand.

Related Records:

S-0320-de Ribbing Mission records in AG-005-UN Secretary-General U Thant Fonds

Files contain correspondence, memos, cables, reports, and many other types of documents.

These concern United Nations missions and commissions in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East; Secretariat matters; political matters; also conferences, councils, and miscellaneous matters. Subject files, 1960-1965, on the Congo Civilian Operations are included.

Fonds consist of the following Sub-fonds:
AG-020-005 Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs - Other Officials
AG-020-004 Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs - J. Rolz-Bennett (1960-1971)
AG-020-003 Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs - B. E. Urquhart (1958-1985)
AG-020-002 Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs - Ralph J. Bunche (1948-1972)
AG-020-001 Office of the Executive Assistant and the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs (Cordier/Malania)

In March 1949, by direction of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Archives Section of the Division of Communications and Records was designated as the agent responsible for the custody of items “of historic significance” accepted by the United Nations or originating in connection with its work. (SGB 63/Rev.1/Add.1 dated 15 March 1949.) This directive provided for appropriate display of these items in collaboration with the Office of Public Information and the Office of Conference Services, under the guidance of an Interdepartmental Committee on Exhibitions.

Over the years, this Record Group was gradually extended to include, in addition to items of historic interest, “gifts and memorabilia” and “commendations and pledges” including many from the general public. In the absence of a well-defined policy on the type of gift item considered suitable for retention in this record group, accumulations had reached a critical stage by 1966. A Review Committee was formed, composed of members from the Offices of the Secretary-General, Controller, Legal and General Services whose function was to make recommendations for the disposal of items which had neither historic interest, relevance to the United Nations or artistic appeal. (File AD 523 P&P (Memorandum dated 21 February 1966 from Mr. VAUGHAN to Secretary-General.)) The Committee functioned for a brief period taking action on the disposition of a number of items, but has not convened since 1966.

In February 1971, a new policy and procedure was established superseding the directive of 1949. (ST/SGB/136 dated 1 February 1971.) The new procedure divides the items into three categories:

1) Items of historical significance originating from the work of the United Nations or accepted on behalf of the United Nations such as gavel and pen set used at the San Francisco Conference in 1945, originating flag designs and commemorative scrolls,
2) Gifts received by the United Nations or by the Secretary-General in his official capacity, except donations or grants of funds,
3) Gifts or awards accepted by staff members in recognition of performance of achievement in work related to the United Nations, when such gifts or awards are required to be transferred to the custody of the United Nations.

Responsibility for the disposition, preservation and use or display of these items will henceforward be governed by the new directive as mentioned in SGB/136 dated 1 February 1971.

This sub-fonds consists of the following series:

S-0970: United Nations Archives' collection of records, publications, and ephemera
S-0593: Serge Wolff collection
S-0548: Historic Items and Gift Collection
S-0542: Department of Administrative and Financial Services
S-0508: Department of Administration and Management - subject files