RSC Lot 60–D 224, Box 99: UNCIO Cons Five Min 3 (Parts I and II)
Minutes of the Third Five-Power Informal Consultative Meeting on Proposed Amendments (Part II), Held at San Francisco, Saturday, May 12, 1945, 6 p.m.
Meeting reconvened at six o’clock.
Present: Same persons as at the meeting at 2:30.
Mr. Eden opened the meeting by saying that he had been working with his colleagues since the meeting at 2:30 and they had produced a draft which they wish to submit for consideration and discussion. He had had just a moment to show it briefly to Mr. Stettinius before the meeting began.
Mr. Stettinius said that he had only had a chance to glance at the draft which Mr. Eden had mentioned. He said that his reaction was favorable as far as the draft went. He wished to emphasize that in view of the commitments made by the United States at Mexico City the United States Delegation attached great importance to mention somewhere in the document of the Act of Chapultepec. Mr. Dulles handed Mr. Stettinius a draft of Chapter VIII, Section C, Paragraph 1 which he had sketched out proposing to insert in that paragraph the phrase “or collective arrangements like that contemplated by the Act of Chapultepec”.
Ambassador Gromyko said that on first glance he would say that the proposal presented by Mr. Eden comes much nearer the ideals and principles of the proposed Organization as understood by his government. However, he would naturally have to have time to study the draft.
Ambassador Koo said that his reaction was favorable. Out of this draft he thought we might be able to get something that might be acceptable.
Mr. Bidault said that he had nothing to say against the British formula. However, it was his impression that the draft said something that was self evident. In case of aggression any state has the right of self defense. That was why the French Delegation had considered that something along the lines of Article XV of the League Covenant92 was desirable. It was this that the French Delegation had sought to embody in its draft.
[Page 707]Mr. Stettinius said that he wished to emphasize the informal and preliminary character of this consultation among the five powers. He was greatly encouraged and felt that since the group convened at 2:30 good headway had been made. At this point he read the draft which had been handed to him by Mr. Dulles proposing the incorporation in Chapter VIII, Section C, Paragraph 1 of the phrase “or collective arrangements like that contemplated by the Act of Chapultepec”.
Mr. Dulles reminded the group that the United States and nineteen other American Republics had joined in signing the Act of Chapultepec. In the draft presented by the United States we had referred definitely to action like that in the Act of Chapultepec. We must include the Act of Chapultepec somewhere in the draft. This he thought was a possible place.
Mr. Eden expressed appreciation to his colleagues for giving attention to the draft which had been so hastily prepared and which he had submitted. It would not be possible to resolve this question at the moment but he said that he thought this represented a step in the right direction. He thought that perhaps better progress might be made without him. The group unanimously took exception to this statement by Mr. Eden. Mr. Stettinius suggested that this matter be taken up again on Monday.93 He expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Eden for his support and expressed deep regret at his prospective departure.
- Article 15, paragraph 7 reads as follows: “If the Council fails to reach a report which is unanimously agreed to by the members thereof, other than the Representatives of one or more of the parties to the dispute, the Members of the League reserve to themselves the right to take such action as they shall consider necessary for the maintenance of right and justice.”↩
- May 14.↩