710.J/4–2648: Telegram
The Ambassador in Colombia (Beaulac) to the Secretary of State
Bogotá, April 26,
1948.
Delbog 128. Weekly Summary No. 3. Major tasks of conference substantially completed. Principal exceptions are pacific settlement treaty and definitive agreement on certain major points in the economic agreement.
Following summarizes status of conference work:
- 1.
- Organic Pact: The preamble and chapters on the following
subjects have been approved by Committees I and II:
- Nature and Purposes
- Principles
- Collective Security
- Organs
- International Conferences
- Meetings Foreign Ministers
- The Council
- Pan American Union
- Organs of the Council
- Specialized Organizations
- Miscellaneous
- The following Chapters are still under discussion:
- Rights and Duties of States
- Pacific Settlement
- Economic Cooperation
- Cultural Cooperation
- Social Guarantees
- Protocolary Provisions
- Notwithstanding efforts of the USDel to restrict the rights and duties of states to a few, brief, non-controversial points, the chapter will probably contain considerable verbiage and one or two provisions on which we may have to enter reservations.
- 2.
- Pacific Settlement: The principal decision so far taken is the approval of the principle of compulsory settlement for all disputes, with the US reservation reported in Delbog 121. Preparation of the text of the Organic Pact chapter and the Pacific Settlement treaty itself is proceeding slowly.
- 3.
- Economic Matters: Work on economic agreement substantially
completed Sunday at subcommittee level, including agreement
delete commercial policy chapter. US position has been so
far sustained in essence on all important issues. US filed
reservation on Ecuadorian proposal re parity of prices of
raw materials and manufactured goods. On some parts of
agreement, drafting not altogether satisfactory from US
point of view, but not believed these defects involve basic
difficulty. Number of resolutions also approved, most
important of which recommend:
- (a)
- Further study by IA–ECOSOC of IA Bank;
- (b)
- Convocation special economic conference some time last three months 1948, IA–ECOSOC to prepare agenda including study based on questionnaire of material requirements American representatives;
- (c)
- Study by IA–ECOSOC of improved facilities for financing international trade and report to special economic conference.
- 4.
- Juridico-Politieal Matters: Work on this section of the
agenda is completed. The following documents have been
approved by the Steering Committee, the last by the Working
Committee:
- (a)
- Resolution on the defense of democracy (Delbog 1121).
- (b)
- Declaration and resolution on recognition (Delbog 1212).
- (c)
- Resolution on European colonies (Delbog 1133).
- (d)
- Declaration rights and duties of man. This is lengthy document whose principal defect is considerable verbiage. The US has reserved its position on a few unacceptable articles.
- 5.
- Social and Cultural Matters: Work on this section of the
agenda is substantially completed. The following documents
have been approved by the committee:
- (a)
- Resolution referring draft educational charter and similar Colombian project to Cultural Council;
- (b)
- Statutes commission women;
- (c)
- US resolution social services;
- (d)
- Mexican resolution on study conditions working women;
- (e)
- Haitian resolution on improvement workers’ health;
- (f)
- Charter social guarantees (with US negative vote and reservation);
- (g)
- Argentine resolution on social justice;
- Following items remain under discussion:
- (a)
- Convention on rights of women;
- (b)
- US resolution on cultural activities.
Beaulac