740.0011 Moscow/3461
Memorandum by the British Delegation to the Moscow Conference
secret
[Moscow, October 24 (?), 1943.]
(British Proposal)
Draft of Declaration on Joint Responsibility for Europe
The three Governments
Fully conscious of their common responsibility as members of the United Nations, aware that once the Nazi and Fascist powers are crushed the welfare of Europe depends on the widest possible cooperation among the nations concerned, disapproving of those separate combinations which have in the past spread jealousy and suspicion and led to economic and armed rivalries, declare:—
- 1.
- That they affirm the principle that each people is free to choose for itself its form of government and way of life, provided that it respects equally the rights of other peoples;
- 2.
- That all States are accordingly free to associate themselves with other states in order to increase their mutual welfare by the establishment of institutions on a wider scale than each can separately maintain, provided that such associations shall not be directed against the welfare or stability of any other States and are approved by any general international organization that may be set up in accordance with paragraph 4 of the Four Power Declaration adopted at [blank] on blank.]2
- 3.
- That, subject to the considerations advanced in paragraph 2 above, they regard it as their duty and interest, so far as lies in their power, to assist other European States to form any associations designed to increase mutual welfare and the general prosperity of the Continent;
- 4.
- That for their own part they will not seek to create any separate areas of responsibility in Europe and will not recognize such for others, but rather affirm their common interest in the well-being of Europe as a whole.
(No action was taken on this document.)3