320/10–2050: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
Delga 162. Lodge1 conferred this afternoon at Lake Success with Riddell2 and Ritchie3 (Canada) and Younger4 (UK) and Padilla Nervo5 (Mexico) about possible substitute for Soviet resolution on “strengthening peace.” Highlights of their remarks and text of Canadian proposal follows. UK substitute is substantially as given in US/A/C.1/2154.6 USDel will meet Saturday during day with British and Canadians to discuss problem further. USDel would therefore appreciate comments from Department at earliest convenience. Pearson (Canada) was reported by Riddell as intending to see Hickerson Saturday morning. Department and Del reactions should doubtless be coordinated.
Ritchie said Canadians were more inclined than ever to think proper procedure was to offer amendments which would make resolution acceptable to us, but not to Russians. He said amended resolution he handed us was preliminary and might even be changed by Pearson en route to Washington. We gave standard arguments against amending as leading to confusion, protracted debate, and Soviet opportunity to claim credit no matter what result was. Ritchie unimpressed by arguments and Younger seemed to think Canadian view had much merit.
[Page 412]Younger said UK had begun to show draft substitute approved by their Del to Commonwealth and a few other dels. Canadians had not yet had time to react. USDel heard independently from Australians they did not think much of UK draft.
Neither UK nor Canada had given much thought to question of co-sponsors. Queried as to desirability of Yugoslav co-sponsorship, both thought idea interesting but perhaps difficult for Yugoslavs, particularly if US, UK or France included among co-sponsors. We told Younger we saw possible advantage in avoiding big power sponsorship. He agreed this might be preferable.
In separate conversation Padilla Nervo expressed interest in substitute which he would attempt to draft over weekend, meeting Soviet substantive points by reciting previous Assembly decisions thereon, and perhaps adding one or two other points to give resolution “actuality.” He agreed that amendment was undesirable. He volunteered to clear his draft with us and then seek co-sponsors. We agreed to talk further with him on Monday.
Lodge encountered Bebler7 (Yugoslavia) briefly and Bebler said he favored a substitute which would say something to man in street, but did not go into details. Lodge did not broach co-sponsorship question to him.
Canadian amended draft follows:
“The GA
Considering that the most important task of the UN is to maintain international peace and security and to strengthen and develop free relations among nations and cooperation among them in solving international problems
Expressing its firm determination to forestall the threat of a new war and sharing the will to peace of the peoples of all the UN
Recalling the unanimous decision of the GA of 1946 as to the necessity for the prohibition of the use of atomic energy for war-like ends
Noting that the events at present taking place in Korea and other areas of the Pacific Ocean emphasizes with added force the extreme importance and urgency from the point of view of international peace and security of unifying for this purpose the efforts of the five powers which are permanent members of the SC and bear special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,
The GA
Decides to adopt the following declaration:
- (1)
- The GA condemns the propaganda for a new war which is being conducted in a number of countries and urges all governments to use their best efforts to restrain such propaganda;
- (2)
- The GA recognizing that the
utilization of atomic weapons for aggressive purposes is
contrary to the conscience and honor of nations and incompatible
with membership in the UN,
declares itself in favor of a strict system of international
inspection and control of atomic weapons. International control
would include the right of inspection officials of the
international control authority at any time with or without
consent of the states concerned:
- (a)
- To inspect any atomic energy installations or plants of any kind whatever;
- (b)
- To search for undeclared atomic energy facilities wherever the international control authority has reason to believe they exist.
- The GA also declares that the first government to use, for aggressive purposes, the atomic weapon or any other means for mass destruction of human beings against any country thereby commit a crime against humanity.
- 3.
- The GA acting in recognition of
the need for strengthening peace and taking into account the
special responsibilities of the permanent members of the SC for ensuring peace, unanimously
expresses its desire:
- (a)
- That the USA, the UK, France, China and the Soviet Union should combine their efforts for peace and conclude among themselves a pact for the strengthening of peace;
- (b)
- That these great powers should make a renewed and genuine effort to reach agreement through the appropriate UN organs on measures for disarmament in atomic weapons and other methods for mass destruction and in conventional armaments.”
- Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., Representative on the U.S. Delegation.↩
- R. G. Riddell, Permanent Representative of Canada at the United Nations, Alternate Representative on the Canadian Delegation to the General Assembly.↩
- C. S. A. Ritchie, Canadian Assistant Secretary of State for External Affairs, Alternate Representative on the Canadian Delegation.↩
- Kenneth G. Younger, British Minister of State (Foreign Office), Representative on the British Delegation to the General Assembly.↩
- Luis Padilla Nervo, Permanent Representative of Mexico at the United Nations, Chairman of the Mexican Delegation to the General Assembly.↩
- For text, see p. 406.↩
- Ales Bebler, Permanent Representative of Yugoslavia at the United Nations, Representative on the Yugoslav Delegation to the General Assembly.↩