IO Files: US/A/C.1/488
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Elwood N. Thompson of the United States Delegation Staff of Advisers
| Participants: | Mr. W. E. Beckett, United Kingdom Delegation |
| Mr. P. S. Falla, United Kingdom Delegation | |
| Mr. Elwood Thompson, United States Delegation |
In separate conversations with each, Mr. Falla and Mr. Beckett expressed the following opinions today concerning the handling of the veto item in Committee 1:
Mr. Falla said that, as we already knew, his delegation generally favored the idea of a study of the veto problem during the coming year. He said he doubted the desirability, however, of assigning the study to the Interim Committee if the Eastern bloc did not participate in the Committee’s work. He said that without having discussed the matter with his delegation he personally thought perhaps the study should be referred to the Security Council and its Committee of Experts. I told Mr. Falla that it seemed to us that the Interim Committee was the logical group to carry on such a study. Mr. Falla was called to the telephone before we had a chance to discuss further his suggestion that the study be referred to the Security Council and its Committee of Experts.
Mr. Beckett, upon hearing the personal suggestion of Mr. Falla’s that the study be referred to the Security Council and its Committee of Experts, said that did not seem practical to him since obviously Mr. Evatt and others interested in modifying the veto would not accept it. Mr. Beckett said the Interim Committee seemed the logical place to carry on the study, especially since we had been able to get the “study concept” accepted as part of the Interim Committee’s terms of references. He commented on the fact that the USSR may not participate in the Interim Committee and observed that the time may come when someone will raise the question as to whether the USSR should have the right to vote in the United Nations if the USSR declines to participate in such activities as the Korean, Greek, and Interim Committees, and then declines to pay its share of the cost of these activities. He referred to Article 19 of the Charter, which says “A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions of the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to con ditions beyond the control of the Member.”
[Page 218]Mr. Beckett asked whether I would not be present at the meeting Monday night with the British on the veto and I told him that I doubted it since I would now be dividing my time between the General Assembly and the Washington Office, in place of Mr. Rusk who would be staying on with the Delegation.