RSC Lot 60–D 224, Box 99: UNCIO Cons Five Min 1
Minutes of the First Five-Power Informal Consultative Meeting on Proposed Amendments, Held at San Francisco, May 7, 1945, 3 p.m.
[Here follows list of names of participants, comprising Chairmen of delegations of the United States, Soviet Union, and France, and representatives of the Chairmen of delegations of the United Kingdom and China.]
The Secretary opened the meeting by calling attention to the fact that it was the first at which Mr. Bidault was present.24 He said that it was his intention to make this a short meeting, although he had several items to discuss with the Foreign Ministers.
[Page 629]1. Conference Procedure on Surrender of Germany25
. . . . . . .
2. Consultation on Amendments
Mr. Stettinius recalled that the consultations of the four Ministers up to this time had included only those powers which were represented at the Dumbarton Oaks Conversations and concerned only their proposed amendments to the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals. With Mr. Bidault joining the group, he felt that they should now turn their attention to the amendments proposed by other countries and consider and review them. Mr. Bidault said that he agreed with the procedure proposed by Mr. Stettinius but that he wished to call attention to the fact that the French Delegation has not yet had the time to study completely the amendments proposed by the four powers in their own right.
Mr. Stettinius replied that so far as the French Delegation is concerned, it was understood, of course, that it would be a free agent with respect to the amendments proposed by the four powers to the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals; that the French Delegation would not be bound by the previous decisions in this regard.
Mr. Stettinius said that in order to expedite the work of the five Foreign Ministers he suggested that a Committee of their deputies be appointed to consider the amendments that are proposed by the other nations represented at the Conference. All of the Foreign Ministers agreed and accordingly the following appointments were made:
Mr. Stettinius appoint[ed] Mr. Leo Pasvolsky to represent the United States;
Mr. Molotov appointed Mr. A. A. Sobolev to represent the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
Dr. Koo appointed himself as a deputy for the Chinese Delegation, in as much as he explained that Mr. Soong had intended that he, Dr. Koo, bear this responsibility, and that in the interim, Mr. Liang would represent him as an alternate;
Mr. Bidault appointed Mr. Jacques Fouques Duparc;
Mr. Attlee appointed Mr. Gladwyn Jebb.
Mr. Stettinius suggested that this Committee of Deputies should meet rather soon26 and should report back to the Foreign Ministers group on Wednesday, May 9, at 3:00 p.m., at its next meeting. This was agreed to.
Dr. Koo suggested that as a method of procedure for expediting the work of the Conference, the review by the five Foreign Ministers [Page 630] of the amendments to the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals should be in the nature of an examination of these amendment to determine whether they were in the framework of the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals, leaving the necessary verbal changes to the Commissions and Committees of the Conference.
Mr. Stettinius said that he agreed with this observation of Dr. Koo’s. He felt that the work of the Conference must be expedited but that they must leave freedom of expression to the Conference as much as possible. Accordingly, he recommended that the Subcommittee of Deputies which had just been appointed should recommend to the Foreign Ministers the procedure to be followed with respect to their review of the proposed amendments.
Mr. Bidault said that it was his understanding that no final position would be taken by any one of the five powers in the Conference with respect to any amendment until agreement had been reached by this meeting of the five Foreign Ministers. Mr. Stettinius assured him that such would be the case.
[Here follows discussion of items No. 3, drafting of final Charter; No. 4, press statement; and No. 5, expediting the Conference.]
6. Soviet Action on Two Amendments
Mr. Attlee raised the question as to whether the Soviet Delegation had agreed to the two proposed amendments to Chapter V, Section B, paragraph 6 and Chapter VIII, Section C, paragraph 2. Mr. Molotov replied that such agreement had been reached. Mr. Stettinius then inquired as to whether the Soviet Delegation had announced this fact yet. Mr. Molotov replied that they would confirm this agreement in writing later in the day, and at the same time would also agree to the announcement of the fact. However, he indicated that if in the meantime, questions were raised by the press as to the Soviet Delegation’s attitude in this matter, that Mr. Stettinius was at liberty to announce the Soviet agreement.
At this point Mr. Bidault inquired as to what amendments were being discussed. Specifically, he asked whether these amendments included the United States amendment on regional arrangements.
Mr. Stettinius explained that the Soviet Delegation had now agreed to accept the United States amendment on regional arrangements. Mr. Molotov reminded Mr. Bidault that Mr. Gromyko had informed the French Delegation of this fact on Saturday.
Mr. Bidault agreed that Mr. Gromyko had informed them of that fact, but that in his opinion the Committee of Deputies of the Foreign Ministers should take the French amendment on this subject27 into account.
[Page 631]Mr. Stettinius asked if there were further business to be brought before the group, and since there was none, the meeting was adjourned. …
- This was the first in a series of 29 meetings held in Mr. Stettinius’ penthouse apartment at the Fairmont Hotel between May 7 and June 21 by the Heads of Delegations of the Sponsoring Powers and France. The minutes of the meetings were termed “Informal Consultation of the Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors of the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China, and France”; the Soviet, British, and French Foreign Ministers, however, departed May 9, May 13, and May 16, respectively.↩
- See Doc. 128, May 8, UNCIO Documents, vol. 2, p. 45.↩
- The Deputies of the Heads of Delegations of the Five Powers held 36 meetings from May 8 to June 15; minutes of meetings not printed.↩
- Doc. 2, G/7(o) (2), May 6, UNCIO Documents, vol. 3, p. 392.↩