Member states of the United Nations the membership of the USSR in the Security Council and all other UN organs was being continued by the Russian Federation with the support of the 11 member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The other fourteen independent states established from the former Soviet Republics were all admitted to the UN: Both Egypt and Syria joined the UN as original members on 24 October 1945. Following a plebiscite on 21 February 1958, the United Arab Republic was established by a union of Egypt and Syria and continued as a single member. On 13 October 1961, Syria, having resumed its
1961 United Nations Secretary-General selection 1 November 1961 when Stevenson suggested that Thant be allowed to decide for himself how many Assistants he would have. Thant also prepared a declaration that did not commit in advance to naming five or seven Under-Secretaries. The Security Council met in closed session on 3 November 1961, unanimously adopting Resolution 168 to recommend U Thant to the General Assembly. A resolution was presented that afternoon by Ceylon, Liberia, and the United Arab Republic, all of them non-permanent members of the Security Council. The United States and the Soviet Union could not sponsor the resolution, as the other permanent members