RSC Lot 60–D 224, Box 99: UNCIO Cons Five Min 6

Minutes of the Sixth Five-Power Informal Consultative Meeting on Proposed Amendments, Held at San Francisco, May 19, 1945 32

[Informal Notes]

[Here follows list of names of participants, including members of delegations of the United States (12); United Kingdom (4); Soviet Union (5); China (4); and France (3).]

The meeting was called to consider the reply of the Soviet Union to revisions proposed by the other four governments on the paragraphs dealing with regional arrangements in relation to the general organization (new paragraph 12 of Chapter VIII, Section B, dated May 15; addition to Chapter VIII, Section A, paragraph 3, dated May 15; and an additional clause to Chapter VIII, Section C, dated May 1533).

Mr. Stettinius called upon Mr. Gromyko to make a statement.

Mr. Gromyko said that his government agreed to accept the three proposals on condition that certain minor amendments be accepted. He then read a substitute for the first sentence of the new paragraph 12 of Chapter VIII, Section B, as follows:

“Nothing in this Charter impairs the inherent right of self-defense, either individual or collective, if prior to taking the necessary measures for the maintenance of international peace and security by the Security Council an armed attack against a member state occurs.”

He also said that the Soviet Government would propose an additional explanatory sentence to paragraph 1, Section C, Chapter VIII, as follows:

“This paragraph by no means prejudices paragraphs 1 and 2 of Section A of this Chapter which fully preserve their power.”

At the request of Mr. Stettinius, Mr. Gromyko explained the purport of these proposed changes. He said that if the Security Council did not maintain peace and security, the countries would have the inherent right, individually and collectively, to take measures of self-defense up to the time the necessary measures by the Security Council [were] being taken.

Mr. Dulles asked whether if the Security Council called on a state to sever diplomatic relations, would the right of self-defense be justified?

Mr. Gromyko said that these measures would be taken only after the Council had failed.

[Page 813]

Mr. Dulles observed that the word “necessary” was used twice in Mr. Gromyko’s explanation, although it was not in his proposed text and Mr. Gromyko replied that though it is not used in the text, the word “necessary” was meant.

Mr. Stettinius observed that the addition of this word or a similar word like “adequate” would clarify the statement. He said that it would be necessary for the other delegations present to study the full meaning of the Soviet proposal and that this should be done first of all by the Subcommittee of Five, which would report to the full group on Sunday, May 20, at six o’clock in his apartment.

This was agreed to by all present, and the meeting adjourned.

  1. Mr. Stettinius indicated in his Diary, for the twenty-fifth day, May 19, that the meeting of the Big Five. 3–3:20 p.m. had been called on short notice as soon as he learned from Mr. Gromyko that the latter had received his instructions from Moscow.
  2. Minutes of the meeting of the United States delegation, May 15, 9 a.m., p. 719.