840.50/2516: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Chile (Heath)
Washington, September 15,
1943—11 p.m.
1001. Reference your despatch 7390, August 25.8 The Chilean Ambassador has discussed the content of the Chilean note with the Department and no doubt he will report to his Government the observations made by Mr. Acheson. It will be appreciated however if you will give the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs the following information orally, with reference to his note of August 20:
- 1.
- This Government is restudying the provisions of the draft relating to the Central Committee in an effort to clarify its powers and functions.
- 2.
- It is hoped that the Chilean Government will give further consideration to its suggestion with respect to unanimous voting by the Council. It would seem that difficulties placed in the way of decisions by the Council would have the effect of throwing greater responsibility upon the Central Committee and the Director General. It may be that the Chilean Government’s principal concern was based on the assumption that the Council could create new obligations for member governments and that the explanation in the following paragraph will remove this concern.
- 3.
- All decisions with respect to actual contributions or financial and supply commitments by a member government must be made by that government, and the Council, Central Committee and Director General will have no power to make such decisions. This Government is studying means of clarifying the text of Article V so that there will be no misunderstanding on this point.
- 4.
- It will be recalled that the possibility of holding a conference of the United Nations on this subject in September was dependent upon favorable responses from all Governments during July. The responses of many Governments were delayed as in the case of the Chilean Government and it is now impossible of course to arrange a meeting in September. In the meantime the rapid development of the military situation has made more urgent than ever the need for the proposed United Nations organization and many Governments are pressing for prompt action in setting up the organization. This Government is making an effort therefore to get the language of the draft agreement into the form which will be most acceptable to all Governments and it hopes very soon to place a revised text before all Governments concerned, with the suggestion that that text be accepted, and signed at a ceremony at the White House in Washington at the earliest date possible. This may be possible by the first of November. This Government would also suggest that the Council of the new organization meet, at a place yet to be selected, immediately after signature of the agreement.
- 5.
- The comments and suggestions already presented by the Chilean Government are being given the most careful consideration in connection with a redraft of the agreement and it is hoped that the new text will be acceptable to the Chilean Government.
Hull