Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

840.50/2948a: Circular telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Representatives ³¹

Washington, October 30, 1943—9 p.m.

This Government has been informed, in response to question number 2 in the Department’s circular telegram of September 21, that a few governments will attach reservations to their signatures of the UNRRA agreement providing for future ratification or other action before the agreement can become fully effective with respect to those governments. The question has arisen as to the status of the representatives of such governments in the Council and its committees while these reservations are in force.

The Government of the United States expects to place before the Council for consideration and decision at the outset of its first session the suggestion that governments attaching reservations to their signatures shall be considered as provisional members of UNRRA until such reservations are removed or until the expiration of some specific period, say 6 months, from the date of signature. It will be suggested, as a part of such arrangements, that the representatives of these governments be accorded full participation in the work of the Council and its committees, including the right to vote, during such period of provisional membership.

In the expectation that favorable action will be taken by the Council on this matter the Government of the United States is suggesting to those governments signing with reservations that they arrange for such provisional representation at the Council meeting at Atlantic City.

You are requested to place the above information before the government to which you are accredited in an appropriate form and to report to the Department any comments which that government may wish to make upon the matter.³²

Stettinius

31. Sent to the chiefs of mission accredited to Governments comprising the United Nations and to Governments of nations associated with them in the war; also to the Consul at Algiers for the French National Committee of Liberation. Telegram No. 1650, November 1, 10 p.m., to the Legation in Egypt contained instructions to place the information before the Yugoslav Government (840.50/2948b Suppl.).
32. The Department received no unfavorable comments upon the matter.