Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, General; the United Nations, Volume I

501.BB/1–2646: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Stettinius)

u.s. urgent
secret
niact

Washington, February 1, 1946—1 p.m.

1105. Undel 147. Department has no additional information on the general question of admission of new members nor has its policy in that regard changed (first paragraph Delun 162). It assumes that position taken by the U.S. Delegation at Security Council meeting of January 28 with regard to the Albanian application for membership was in line with this general policy but if there were specific factors relating to the Albanian request or if there are other developments relating to admission of new members to UNO, we should appreciate fuller information than given in Delun 171.³⁰

We desire to repeat to Tirana not only text set forth in Delun 162 but also such additional information as you may be able to provide. It would be helpful if you could give us an estimate as to when consideration of the Albanian request will be given in the Security Council. For your secret information Jacobs³¹ reports from Tirana that there is a marked increase in Soviet prestige and activity in Albania, coupled with a growing unfriendliness of the Hoxha regime toward the U.S.

Byrnes

30. Telegram 1061, January 29, from London. This was a daily summary telegram of the events of that date and read in pertinent part: “At Security Council meeting today first question raised was whether Albanian request for membership should be on agenda. U.S. motion that it should not be included being lost 4 to 4, with three abstentions and Chairman not voting. Extended discussion ensued as a result of which it was agreed without objection to including this item on agenda, on clear understanding that, as emphasized by Chair, decision as to when to consider Albanian request should be taken when item is reached on agenda.” (501.BB/1–2946) The record of this meeting is found in SC, 1st yr., 1st series, pp. 24 ff. In his statement on the motion for adjournment Mr. Stettinius said: “You will recall that I referred briefly to this question the last time we met. In view of the position taken by the Executive Committee [of the Preparatory Commission], and also by the Preparatory Commission, that new applications for membership would not be acted upon at the first part of the General Assembly session, I feel it would be best not to include this item at this session of the Council. The admission of new Members is a serious and important matter, requiring the most careful consideration of the Members of the United Nations. In the circumstances, it is apparent that the only reasonable and fair method of giving proper and adequate consideration to applications for new membership would be to defer all applications until some time prior to the next meeting of the General Assembly, when the Security Council would have had an opportunity to deal with the number of applications that have accrued at that time” (ibid., p. 25).
31. Joseph E. Jacobs, head of the informal mission to Albania.