710.J/4–1948: Telegram
The Ambassador in Colombia (Beaulac) to the Acting Secretary of State
Delbog 92. Weekly Summary No. 2. Outstanding development of week was accelerating tempo and gradual amplification of conference work so that by week’s end in effect entire agenda was again being considered with principal exception of social and cultural matters. However as yet many subcommittees have not been reestablished.
Steering committee has temporarily emerged as in part a replacement of plenary sessions and in part a forum for substantive debates on controversial points particularly regarding Organic Pact. Torres Bodet (FonMin Mexico) is becoming outstanding leader in these.
Principal substantive decisions of week are:
- 1.
- In the reorganization of “organization of the American states” political powers of the governing board are defined as only those which international conferences or meetings FonMins may grant it plus function of acting as provisional organ consultation under Bio treaty provided that in event armed attack President of Board must convoke meeting FonMins immediately—this to prevent board from turning into permanent organ consultation.
- 2.
- Members of board may be either regular ambassadors in Washington or specially appointed representatives at option of governments.
- 3.
- Governing board shall determine quota for maintenance taking into account capacity to pay and determination to contribute in equitable manner and shall decide all financial matters by two thirds vote.
- 4.
- Basic rights and duties of states shall be included in body of Organic Pact. Rights and duties of man shall be separate declaration without binding force.
- 5.
- In economic matters it was decided with US opposing that economic agreement should reaffirm necessity of compensating disparity between prices raw materials and those of manufactured products and establishing equitable relationship between them.
Principal immediate issues emerging at the close of the week are:
- 1.
- Should PAU governing board be partially separated from union and made “permanent council of organization of American states” and the name “Pan American Union” restricted to administrative offices in Washington as “General Secretariat of Organization”. Answer will probably be in affirmative.
- 2.
- Should defense council be organ of governing board or separate agency; should it be established by Organic Pact or separate treaty?
- 3.
- Are Latin Americans willing give sufficient guarantees stimulate flow US private capital?
- 4.
- What will be nature functions and resources of Inter-American Development Organization?
- 5.
- Can US opposition to general discrimination in favor national shipping as practised by several Latin American countries be reconciled with Latin American view that special privileges are necessary to build up domestic merchant fleets?