At the time the Canadian Minister of External Affairs, Lester B. Pearson was in discussion with the Secretary-General regarding an idea for a UN police force. On 4 November, the Canadian minister introduced the proposal for such a force and a resolution supporting the concept was adopted. The resolution passed with 57 supports and zero opposes, though there were 19 absents including the United Kingdom, France, Egypt, the Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries.