320/10–2150: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Delga 166. In further consultation this afternoon about tactics for dealing with Soviet resolution on peace, British and Canadian delegations agreed to hold meeting of interested friendly delegations Monday afternoon1 2:15, Lake Success. British will make arrangements and call meeting, inviting France, Canada, Australia, Lebanon, India, Netherlands, Mexico and US. Meeting will have at least two documents before it: UK declaration of peace and freedom and revised Canadian amendments to Soviet resolution. Mexico may have draft substitute along lines suggested in Delga 162. Luns2 (Netherlands) [Page 414] told Coulson3 (UK) that Netherlands might also have substitute. Malik4 (Lebanon) may have substitute as well.

Plan of meeting is to get agreement on tactics, particularly whether to attempt amendment or to offer substitute. Group may also attempt to decide on sponsors for either substitute or amendments.

Lodge passed on to Ritchie (Canada) Department’s views on Canadian amendments as given by Sandifer and Shooshan5 on phone this morning. Ritchie agreeable to amendments but said he must check with Pearson. He suggested he might put in his draft in present form and have group consider any changes we wished to suggest. USDel would therefore hope to have Department’s suggested language on Canadian draft by Monday noon. Possibly it would be adequate to change first operative paragraph of Canadian draft by inserting first operative paragraph of GA resolution 110 (II), which condemns propaganda but does not urge governments to restrain it; change paragraph 2 by inserting general injunction against aggression and introducing atomic energy section by reciting last paragraph of essentials of peace, and drop paragraph declaring that first government to use for aggressive purposes atomic weapon will commit crime against humanity. Ritchie has already changed sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph 3 from call for 5-power pact to call for general agreement and combining their efforts for peace. UK has added additional paragraph to its declaration of peace and freedom:

“Responds to the desire of all mankind for a reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons by accepting UN plans for effective control and inspection which would give all states and peoples reliable assurances that they will not again be subjected to the horrors of war.”

USDel would like to know whether this language is acceptable, or whether following language from staff’s latest draft resolution (US/A/C.1/2144/Rev. 1) is preferable or acceptable:

“Regulate and reduce all armaments and armed forces under a UN system of control and inspection; and make possible the prohibition and elimination of atomic weapons under a UN system which will provide dependable safeguards that atomic energy will be developed for peaceful purposes only.”

Austin
  1. October 23.
  2. J. M. A. H. Luns, Adviser to the Netherlands Delegation to the General Assembly.
  3. J. E. Coulson, Minister Plenipotentiary, Adviser to the British Delegation to the General Assembly.
  4. Charles Malik, Lebanese Minister to the United States; Representative on the Lebanese Delegation to the General Assembly.
  5. Harry M. Shooshan, Jr., of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs, Department of State.