Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General, Volume I

Lot 60–D 224, Box 43: PIO 198

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Leo Pasvolsky, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State

[Washington,] February 16, 1944.

Mr. Wright²⁰ called at his request and left with me the attached document entitled, “Summary of Topics”, received yesterday from the Foreign Office. This paper was sent to the Embassy for transmission to us following the Embassy’s report on Mr. Wright’s conversation on February 8 with Mr. Dunn and myself. A copy will be communicated today to the Soviet Government.

Mr. Wright explained that the list is intended to serve two purposes:

(1) As a list of topics on which detailed papers are being prepared in London; these papers will in due course be sent to us;

(2) As suggestions for an agenda for the discussions

Mr. Wright inquired as to when they could expect to receive our list of topics. I said that it was our hope to make it available to them in the next few days.

Mr. Wright also inquired whether it was our intention that discussions would be arranged after the preliminary papers had been exchanged by the respective governments, or whether there would be further exchanges by cable prior to the inauguration of the discussions. I replied that the matter would have to be left in a flexible state, but that our present thought is that the discussions would take place as soon as the documents had been exchanged and an opportunity had been afforded for a sufficient study by the governments. Mr. Wright said that the latter procedure would be preferable from their point of view.

Mr. Wright inquired whether or not any comments have been received from the Soviet Government. I replied in the negative.

Leo Pasvolsky

[Annex]

Memorandum Prepared in the British Foreign Office

Summary of Topics

A. Nature and membership of any World Organization.

1. Membership, functions and powers of a general assembly.

2. Membership of a smaller body (Council).

3. Functions and powers of such a Council.

(a) Maintenance of international peace and security.

(b) Settlement of international disputes.

(c) Nature of relation of the Council to world economic bodies—see C below.

(d) Question of unanimity.

4. Role of an international court for settlement of juridical disputes.

5. Nature of instrument establishing world organization and method of amendment.

6. Secretariat.

B. System of general security.

1. Methods of cooperation and coordination between members, e.g. question of concerted military advice to the Council.

2. Relation of mutual defence arrangements and any regional systems, which may be established, to general security system.

3. Provision of bases for common use.

C. International economic and functional organizations.

1. Their relation to the Council and Assembly; their relation to one another; should there be attached to the Council some body for the purpose of coordinating them.

2. Should such a body dispose of an economic general staff.

3. Management and secretariat.

4. Future role of international labour organization and any functional bodies of the League of Nations which may be continued.

D. Future procedure.

1. Method of discussion with other United Nations.

2. Method of registering agreement reached.

3. Time table.

Washington, February 15, 1944.

20. Michael Wright, First Secretary of the British Embassy.