501.AA/7–346: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Iceland (Dreyfus)
134. Please inform FonMin substantially as follows:
“Article 4 of UN Charter.
With respect thereto, Security Council recently adopted following resolution on applications for UN membership:
- “1. Applications for membership which have been or may be received by the Secretary General shall be considered by the Security Council at a meeting or meetings to be held in Aug 1946 for this specific purpose.
- 2. Applications for membership which have been or may be received by the Secretary General before July 15, 1946, shall be referred to a committee composed of a representative of each of the members of the Security Council for examination and report to the Council not later than Aug 1, 1946.”
As long-range goal US Govt interested in universality of membership in UN. Its immediate interest is that as many eligible states as possible become members UN during present year. As FonMin will recall, US Govt has repeatedly indicated to Ice Govt its friendly interest in Ice membership UN and has given assurances that Ice could count on wholehearted support of US Govt in earliest Ice application for UN membership.
According to rules of Security Council an application for membership [Page 407] should be made directly to UN Secretary General and should be accompanied by a declaration of the readiness of state concerned to accept the obligations contained in Charter of UN. The recommendations of UN Security Council on applications for membership will then be submitted to UN General Assembly which, according provisions Chapter IV, Article 20 of UN Charter, meets in regular annual sessions. The session for current year will open on Sept 3, 1946; therefore, an application by Ice for membership in UN should, if possible, be submitted to UN Secretary General before July 15, 1946 and at latest by Aug 1, 1946, if consideration of such application to be given this year.
Accordingly, although US Govt realizes time remaining after elections is short and that Althing not in session, it hopes Ice application will be made by July 15, or at latest by Aug 1.
US Govt would be appreciative if it could be informed whether Ice intends apply for UN membership during current year.
In case FonMin inquires you may inform him that US Govt intends attempt informally to ascertain reaction other Council members to Ice application and will be glad to report results such inquiries to Ice Govt.