RSC Lot 60–D 224, Box 99: UNCIO Cons Five Min 28
Minutes of the Twenty-Eighth Five-Power Informal Consultative Meeting on Proposed Amendments, Held at San Francisco, June 20, 1945, 12:30 p.m.
[Here follows list of names of participants, including members of delegations of the United States (14); United Kingdom (2); Soviet Union (3); China (2); and France (1).]
Mr. Stettinius of the United States presided. He stated that he had called the meeting to order at the request of Ambassador Gromyko and, therefore, asked the Ambassador to make a statement.
The Ambassador announced that the Soviet Delegation had found it possible to agree on the following text for paragraph 1 of Chapter V, Section B:
“1. The General Assembly has the right to discuss any questions or any matters within the scope of the Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any organs provided in 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 matters.”
Mr. Stettinius expressed his personal and official delight at the splendid conciliatory attitude of the Ambassador and his government, which had made it possible to solve this difficult matter and to bring the Conference to an immediate and successful conclusion. He paid personal tribute to Ambassador Gromyko for his patience and cooperation [Page 1398] in the matter. Lord Halifax and M. Dejean associated themselves with the remarks of Mr. Stettinius, and Dr. Koo also stated he deeply appreciated the remarks of Ambassador Gromyko.
Senator Vandenberg stated that the Ambassador would be very happy if he could appreciate how much this meant in terms of good will among the American people. Ambassador Gromyko said that he had the psychological factor in mind, but first of all had had substance in mind.
Mr. Stettinius asked Mr. Dulles to comment. Mr. Dulles stated that often after a matter has been fully discussed we come out with a better result. He felt that the Committee’s phrase was too broad, and that the Soviet Union had done a good service in calling it to our attention. He thought the new text was better. Ambassador Gromyko agreed that it was much better than the Committee’s text. M. Dejean agreed that it was a very good text.
Mr. Stettinius informed the group that he would communicate with Dr. Evatt and arrange to have Committee II/2 called right away. There was some discussion as to the proper procedure for presenting this new text to the Technical Committee, inasmuch as this paragraph had been referred to the Steering Committee and to the Executive Committee.73 It was agreed that Mr. Stettinius and Mr. Hiss would decide upon the best procedure for getting this new text to Committee II/274 as quickly as possible, and Mr. Stettinius stated that he would talk to Dr. Evatt immediately.
The meeting was then adjourned.
- Doc 1061, ST/17, June 18, UNCIO Documents, vol. 5, p. 264; Doc. 1107, ST/18, June 20, ibid., p. 272; Doc. 1063, EX/27, June 18, ibid., p. 522; and Doc. 1108, EX/28, June 20, ibid., p. 535.↩
- Doc. 1121, II/2/59, June 21, ibid., vol. 9, p. 233; revised text of paragraph V,B (1) printed as Doc. 1116, II/2/57, June 20, ibid., p. 230.↩