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

Lot 60–D 224, Box 57: D.O./Conv.A/Doc. 2

Memorandum on an International Security Organization, by the Soviet Union⁸¹

[ August 12, 1944.]

The new international security organisation should be based on the principle, as expressed in the declaration of the Moscow Conference on general security, “of the sovereign equality of all peace-loving states”—on the principle which recognizes that the organisation must be “open to membership by all peace-loving states, large and small”.

The task of the new international security organisation should be the effecting of measures directed toward the prevention of aggression and preservation of peace and also toward the suppression of aggression. Such an international organisation can perform its task, if, when determining its constitution, powers, conditions and method of activity, the nations members of the organisation, and particularly those initiating its foundation, base themselves on the necessity of effective cooperation in measures capable of ensuring the security of peace-loving peoples.

The problem of creating a security organisation raises many diverse questions both of principle and of an organisational character. It does not, however, appear expedient during the first phase of negotiations between representatives of the U.S.S.R., the United States and Great Britain to embark on simultaneous discussion of all these questions, but rather to confine oneself to discussion of the most important questions and of the principles which should form the basis of the organisation.

Such questions should include the following points:

A. Aims and Tasks of the Organisation;

B. Composition of the Organisation;

C. Principal Organs—General Assembly, Council, International Court, Secretariat General (their competency, functions and duties);

D. Means of Prevention of Aggression and Means of Suppression of Aggression.

The suggestions of the Soviet Government with regard to the above listed questions are stated in the present memorandum. After agreement has been reached on these fundamental questions it will be necessary to work out the actual constitution of the international security organisation.

The question of regional organisation is subject to further study.

The Soviet Government sees also great benefit in and attaches great importance to, cooperation between peoples in the economic, social, technical and other spheres.

For activities of this kind there might be formed, in the opinion of the Soviet Government, a separate international organisation not connected with the international security organisation, or several organisations, embracing various spheres of international cooperation. Such organisations might act separately from the international security organisation, which would devote itself wholly to the object of preserving the general peace and security of nations. The present memorandum therefore does not deal with questions outside the limits of international security and the preservation of peace. It will be possible to begin to discuss and work out such questions later, when this should appear necessary.

The International Security Organisation

I. Aims of the organisation.

The principal aims of the organisation are:

1). Maintenance of general peace and security and adoption for this purpose of collective measures for the prevention of aggression and organising the suppression of aggression which has already taken place.

2). The settlement and elimination by peaceful means of international conflicts which may lead to a breach of the peace.

3). The adoption of any other measures concerning the strengthening of universal peace and the development of friendly relations among nations.

Note: In addition it is considered desirable to establish a separate international organisation or organisations, not connected with the international security organisation, to promote international co-operation in the economic, commercial, financial, technical, social, and health spheres and other humanitarian activities.

II. Composition of the Organisation.

1). The initiators and founder-members of the organisation are the United Nations, i.e. those States which signed the declaration of January 1, 1942,⁸² or who have subsequently adhered to it.

2). The admission of other peace-loving States as members of the organisation shall take place individually after the statute of the organisation has been adopted and in accordance with the regulations laid down in the statute.

III. Principal Organs.

1) General Assembly

2) Council

3) International Court of Justice

4) Secretariat General.

IV. General Assembly.

1) The General Assembly shall consist of representatives of all states members of the organisation.

2) The General Assembly shall determine the general principles of international co-operation in matters of security and the maintenance of peace.

3) The General Assembly shall consider all questions concerning international security raised by the Council upon its own initiative or at the suggestion of members of the organisation. Such suggestions shall be referred to the Council for consideration if it is necessary to take measures falling within the latter’s competence.

4) The General Assembly shall consider questions concerning disarmament and reduction of armaments.

5) The General Assembly shall hear and consider yearly reports of the Council and express its opinion thereon.

6) The General Assembly shall decide questions concerning the admission and expulsion of members of the organisation on the recommendation of the Council.

7) The General Assembly shall examine questions of the modification or amendment of the statute of the organisation and of the expansion of its activities.

8) The General Assembly shall determine the allocation of expenses among the members and approve the yearly budgets of the organisation.

9) The General Assembly shall elect its chairman for each session and determine its working procedure.

10) Decisions of the General Assembly shall be taken by a two-thirds majority vote, with the exception of categories of questions for which a different principle of voting may be provided, e.g. decisions of an organisational character shall be taken by a simple majority vote.

V. The Council.

1) The Council shall consist of representatives of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, United Kingdom and China, and in the future also France, in the capacity of permanent members, and of a certain limited number of representatives of member-States, elected by the General Assembly for a term to be laid down in the statute.

2) The Council, in accordance with the powers conferred upon it and its ability to take urgent decisions, shall have primary responsibility for ensuring general peace and security of peoples.

Accordingly the Council shall be authorised to act when necessary on behalf of the whole international organisation, and decisions of the Council shall be binding upon all States members of the organisation.

3) The Council shall be entitled to take all necessary measures provided by the statute to settle any disputes and conflicts arising among States.

The Council shall determine the existence of a threat to peace and decide what measures should be taken or recommended for the maintenance or restoration of peace.

4) The Council shall in case of necessity provide for the application of armed force for the maintenance of peace and security, using for that purpose the armed forces placed at its disposal by States members of the organisation in accordance with a special agreement.

Plans for the application of armed force shall be made by the Council with the assistance of a military committee established for this purpose and composed of representatives of States members of the Council. The question of command over the armed forces in question should be worked out specially.

5) The Council shall subject to preliminary examination all questions pertaining to the preservation of universal peace and security which are subject to inclusion in the agenda of the general assemblies [sic].

6) Decisions of the Council on questions pertaining to the prevention or suppression of aggression shall be taken by a majority of votes including those of all permanent representatives on the Council.

Decisions of an organisational character shall be taken by a simple majority vote.

VI. International Court of Justice.

An international court of justice will be established and should function in accordance with a special statute.

VII. Secretariat-General.

The international security organisation shall possess a Secretariat-General, headed by a Secretary General who shall be elected by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Council.

VIII. Methods of Preventing Aggression and Measures for the Suppression of Aggression.

1) The methods of preventing or combating aggression shall be as follows:—

A) An appeal of the Council to the disputants calling for a pacific settlement of the dispute or conflict between them.

B) An appeal of the Council to the disputants with a warning regarding the possible use against them of other means of pressure provided by the statute.

C) Measures of economic pressure to be applied against the disputants by some or all States members of the organisation.

D) Severance by all members of the organisation of diplomatic relations with the aggressor.

E) Severance of commercial, financial and other economic relations with the aggressor, and also interruption of postal-telegraphic, rail and air communications.

F) The Provision, by member States not possessing sufficient armed forces, of territory for the organisation of bases in areas of strategic importance for conducting military operations against the aggressor.

G) Sea and land blockade.

H) Naval and air force demonstrations.

I) Air raids on particular military objectives of the aggressor state.

J) Military operations by members of the organisation against the aggressor.

2) The above methods of preventing and suppressing aggression shall be employed by some or all states members of the organisation.

3) To enable certain urgent military measures to be taken there shall be attached to the organisation international air force corps, the strength of which shall be determined by the Council with the assistance of a commission of military experts specially created for that purpose. Members of the organisation shall participate in this corps with their national air forces, the size of which shall be determined for each participant by the organisation.

81. The approved translation here printed is the British translation of August 22 of the Soviet memorandum (translation) which was transmitted to the Secretary of State by the Soviet Chargé in his letter of August 12 (not printed). In his Diary of August 24 Mr. Stettinius noted his announcement to the American Group “that the British-English translation of the Soviet plan, a more precise job than the Soviet translation, had been substituted for the other in all our books.”
82. Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 25.