500.CC/6–1845: Telegram
The Chairman of the United States Delegation (Stettinius) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received June 18—4:25 a.m.]
5. Please send the following telegram to Moscow as a personal message from me to Harriman:14
“You, of course, have the text of the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals.
Gromyko is pressing
for the original Dumbarton Oaks text of paragraph 1 of Section B
of Chapter V in regard to the functions and powers of the
General Assembly. When that text was considered in the
appropriate committee of this conference, the committee decided
to make what is substantially that paragraph as paragraph 2 of
their text.15 The
committee added a new paragraph 1, and although the four
Sponsoring Powers and France voted against this new paragraph it
was by a large majority adopted by the committee.16 The new paragraph 1 and the opening words of
paragraph 2 read as follows:
The foregoing text was adopted by the appropriate technical committee of the conference on May 29 last. There were only eleven votes cast against this text, including those of the sponsoring powers. We are absolutely convinced that it would be impossible to reverse this [Page 1354] decision in the conference. The successful efforts which we have made to maintain the Yalta voting procedure and the veto power of the five permanent members on amendments to the Charter, both of which have not [now?] been approved by the appropriate committees of the conference, have created a situation in the conference which would make it even more difficult than that [which] obtained on the 29th of May when the texts mentioned above were approved.
We have known for several days that Gromyko was dissatisfied with the decision of the committee and yesterday he asked that a meeting of the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee be arranged in order that he might make a statement in regard to the question. Meetings of the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee were held today. The text of the statement which Gromyko made as well as the statement made by Manuilsky, Chairman of the Ukrainian Delegation, are being telegraphed to you in a separate message.17
Immediately after Gromyko’s statement in the two committees, Evatt, the Australian Foreign Minister, made a strong statement defending the action of the Technical Committee. Evatt’s statement was warmly applauded in the Steering Committee which, as you know, is composed of the heads of all delegations at the conference.
A subcommittee consisting of Gromyko, Evatt and myself was appointed to consider this matter. The subcommittee has held three meetings today. At the last meeting Evatt put forward informally a suggested new paragraph 1 to replace the approved committee text, reading as follows:
‘1. The General Assembly should have the right to discuss any matters covered by the purposes and principles of the Charter or within the sphere of action of the United Nations or relating to the powers and functions of any of its organs or otherwise within the scope of the Charter; and, except as provided in paragraph 2(b) of this section, to make recommendations to the members of the United Nations or to the Security Council or both on any such questions or matter.’
Evatt said that he was prepared to sponsor this text; that he believed approval of it could be obtained.
Gromyko had expressed strong opposition to the phrase ‘within the sphere of international relations’ in the text approved by the committee on May 29. Evatt’s new draft omits these words.
Gromyko had also expressed the fear that the wide powers of discussion in the committee draft might permit debate in the General Assembly of questions within the domestic jurisdiction of sovereign states. We believe that he is now satisfied that another provision of the Charter contained in the principles adequately covers this point. That article says that ‘nothing contained in this Charter shall authorize the organization to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under this Charter …’
Gromyko stated that he would telegraph the Evatt proposal to Moscow and request instructions.
[Page 1355]Please see Molotov at once and discuss this whole matter with him. Please tell him the British, French, Chinese, and American delegations are absolutely convinced that it will be impossible to persuade the conference to reverse its decision and to adopt the original Dumbarton Oaks text. A bitter public debate on this subject in the final days of the conference would in our opinion be extremely harmful.
Earnestly hope that Molotov will find it possible to issue prompt instructions to Gromyko, authorizing him in the circumstances to accept the Evatt draft or the text which has already been approved by the committee. You may tell Molotov that since we are absolutely convinced that the original Dumbarton Oaks language cannot obtain the approval of the conference the American delegation is prepared to accept either of these texts. The British, French and Chinese delegations have indicated informally their willingness to accept the text approved by the committee. Since the new draft put forward by Evatt is an improvement, I am sure they would accept it.
Please tell Mr. Molotov we are, as he knows, endeavoring to wind up the conference in the next few days. It is essential that this be done because of the President’s plans. It is equally essential that the President be enabled to transmit a Charter to the United States Senate at the end of this month in order to obtain prompt ratification by the Senate before it closes its sessions; otherwise, the Senate may well adjourn until September and the atmosphere for consideration of the document may be less favorable.”
After sending the foregoing message, please inform the President of the main points of the message I have sent Harriman.
- Message repeated to Moscow as telegram 1332, June 18, 6 a.m.↩
- Doc. 601, II/2/B/4, May 26, UNCIO Documents, vol. 9, p. 407; and Doc. 630, II/2/B/7, May 26, ibid., p. 401.↩
- Doc. 686, II/2/34, May 30, ibid., p. 108; and Doc. 1008, II/2/52, June 16, ibid., p. 196.↩
- Telegram 4, June 13, to the Acting Secretary of State, repeated to Moscow as telegram 1333, June 18, 7 a.m., not printed; see summary report of meeting of Executive Committee, Doc. 1063, EX/27, June 18, UNCIO Documents, vol. 5, p. 522.↩