The British Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State
of the United States of America and has the honour to inform him that
His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom has had under
consideration the draft scheme for the establishment of a “United
Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration” dated August 13th,
1942.
Lord Halifax is instructed to inform the Secretary of State that the
United Kingdom Government agree with the broad lines of the scheme and
are disposed to cooperate in carrying it into effect subject to the
points which are set out in the attached memorandum.
Lord Halifax hopes that he may receive shortly the observation of the
Secretary of State upon the two concluding paragraphs of the memorandum
which relate to the importance which His Majesty’s Government in the
United Kingdom attach to receiving at the earliest possible date the
views of other United Nations’ Governments upon the draft agreement.
[Enclosure—Memorandum]
The preliminary view of the United Kingdom Government was that, for
reasons of effective administration, the balance of advantage lay in
confining membership of the Policy Committee to the four Great
Powers. On reflection it feels that limitation of membership of the
Policy Committee in this way would not, in practice, be conducive to
smooth working, since the scheme as a whole would thereby be
rendered less acceptable to other important countries whose whole
hearted cooperation it will be essential to secure. In particular,
the United Kingdom Government consider that Canada, as one of the
major potential suppliers of relief goods, has a very strong claim
to membership of the Committee, a claim that, on merits, is regarded
as carrying greater weight than that of any other country apart from
the four Great Powers. The United Kingdom Government recognise that
any enlargement of the Policy Committee should not be such as would
be likely to impair the efficient working of the directing
machinery, but it is thought that a Committee not exceeding seven
members would fulfil this requirement, and this number would enable
membership to be accorded to two other countries in addition to
Canada. The United Kingdom Government accordingly are disposed to
recommend that the Policy Committee be expanded to include
representatives of these countries in addition to the four Great
Powers and that Canada as one of these three countries should be
afforded full membership of the Committee.
This is the only definite modification which the United Kingdom
Government would suggest in the draft.
They note, however, that provision is made for the constitution of a
Regional Committee to deal with European relief, and they propose
again to emphasise the importance they attach to giving as much
scope as possible to this Committee. They hope that a Regional
Organisation for the Far East will also be constituted.
The United Kingdom Government also take note that the Relief
Administration shall, wherever practicable, use the facilities made
available by such agencies of the United Nations as shall at the
time be in existence, and they understand that it is not intended
that the Administration shall set up its own agencies, either for
planning or for
[Page 158]
execution
of plans regarding provision of supplies and shipping, except where
no suitable agencies of the United Nations are available.
Finally the United Kingdom Government state that they feel it
important to obtain the views of the other United Nations, and
particularly of the European Allied Governments, on these proposals
at the earliest possible date. They suggest that a meeting be
convened at an early date of the Russian, Chinese, United States and
United Kingdom Governments to consider the draft and that if these
four Governments are in agreement it should be communicated to the
Governments of the other United Nations. So far as the European
Allied Governments are concerned, the draft could, if the United
States Government agreed, be communicated by Sir Frederick
Leith-Ross to the Inter-Allied Committee in London.
In this way, the ground could be prepared so that, when the United
States Government feels it opportune to proceed further, a further
meeting could if necessary be held of the representatives of the
four Great Powers, to review the draft in the light of the
observations received. Subsequently a meeting could be arranged of
the United Nations to obtain its general acceptance and to carry it
into effect. The United Kingdom Government would reserve the right
to move amendments of detail when this stage is reached.
Washington, 21 December,
1942.
