500.CC/7–1244

The Department of State to the Soviet Embassy 14

Aide-Mémoire

The Government of the United States has noted zwith pleasure the aide-mémoire dated July 9 of the Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in which it is stated that the Soviet Government is ready to take part in discussions in Washington with representatives of the United States and of the United Kingdom on the subject of creating an organization for the maintenance of peace and security throughout the world.

It is further noted that the Soviet Government would consider it possible to set the time for these discussions at the beginning of August. It is accordingly suggested, subject to the concurrence of the Soviet and British Governments, that the date be now fixed as August 2.15

The Embassy’s aide-mémoire also contains a statement that the Soviet Government would consider it expedient during the first phase of the discussions to limit itself to the discussion of questions relating to the scope and character of the international organization, to arrangements designed to promote security, and to the methods and procedures for the establishment of the international organization. In this connection this Government wishes to make special reference to the topical outline, dated February 17,16 which was handed to the [Page 651] Soviet Ambassador on February 19. As indicated in that outline, it is the view of this Government that the primary purpose of the proposed international organization is the peaceable adjustment of disputes, to which end it is recognized that the organization must possess the ultimate authority to use force as a measure of last resort. Consequently, in the view of this Government procedures for a peaceful adjustment of disputes must necessarily constitute an integral part of any effective scheme for an international organization. It is confidently believed that discussions of the structure of a world organization for the maintenance of peace and security will necessarily extend to consideration of procedures of pacific settlement and this Government will expect in the forthcoming discussions to state fully its views on this subject. This Government also expects during the course of the forthcoming discussions to express its views on the subject of possible arrangements for territorial trusteeship and of those aspects of international economic relations which concern the relationship of specialized economic and social agencies to the general organization, as distinguished from questions involving substantive policies in these fields. It is hoped that upon further consideration the Soviet Government will feel disposed to enter into preliminary discussion of these topics.

It is perhaps unnecessary to emphasize that this Government regards the forthcoming discussions as constituting an informal exchange of views, subject, of course, to eventual acceptance by the governments concerned of any understandings that may be reached. Moreover, it is to be anticipated that subsequent discussions with the other United Nations and continuing interchange of views between the three powers may well lead to modifications of the statements which it is to be anticipated will be jointly formulated as a result of the forthcoming discussions.

  1. Text of this document was transmitted on July 13 to London in telegram 5485 and to Moscow in telegram 1680.
  2. The Ambassadors in the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union were instructed on July 12, in telegrams 5475 and 1679, respectively, and the Ambassador in China, on July 13, in telegram 948, to inform the Foreign Offices there of the suggested date of August 2 to open the conversations in Washington and of this Government’s intention so to announce on July 15 unless there were objections (500.CC/7–1344).

    The Chinese Chargé (Liu) was similarly informed by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Grew) on July 13.

    Ambassador Winant, in his telegram 5523, July 13, 5 p.m., reported Mr. Eden’s approval of the opening date early in August and the Secretary’s proposed announcement to the press (500.CC/7–1344). Chinese approval of the announcement was indicated in telegram 1226, July 15, 1 p.m. (500.CC/7–1544). Soviet approval was given in telegram 2623, July 17, 11 p.m. (500.CC/7–1744).

  3. Ante, p. 625.