501.AA/7–2046: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Johnson)
secret
Washington, July 20,
1946—11 a.m.
145. Amdel. 1. Dept believes it desirable to press Soviet Govt for its interpretation of Potsdam commitment to support admission qualified neutral states to UN. You should, accordingly, seek earliest occasion to speak to Gromyko along following lines:
- (a)
- Various neutral States have inquired re our attitude toward their admission, and we believe at least some have made similar inquiries of other Security Council Members including Soviet Union and United Kingdom.
- (b)
- In Chapter X of Potsdam Agreement (see Membership Book, Part III, Item 515) three Powers pledged themselves to support applications for membership from those states that remained neutral during war and fulfill qualifications of Article 4 of Charter. Express exception was made in case of Spain. Potsdam Agreement has direct application to present situation in which one neutral has already applied and others have made inquiries allowing reasonable assumption that their submission of applications depends on attitude of Potsdam signatories. We think Potsdam powers obligated in fairness neutrals to interpret Potsdam clearly and remove doubts in minds neutrals.
- (c)
- This Govt believes that only reasonable interpretation Potsdam agreement is that three powers should vote favorably on applications of Sweden, Afghanistan, Iceland, Portugal, and Eire, and application of Switzerland when Swiss in position to accept obligations of Charter and that powers should make this known to neutrals on inquiry.
- Above States (1) were neutral during the war and (2) fulfill qualifications set forth in Article 4 of Charter.
- (d)
- We assume that Soviet Union and UK will likewise, pursuant to Potsdam Agreement, support applications from any or all of above States. This Govt desires to know if this assumption correct as far as Soviet Union is concerned. If Gromyko can give no definite answer this Govt would appreciate his making telegraphic inquiry of Moscow.
- (e)
- If Gromyko should raise question of States other than those listed in sub-para (c) above, whether or not they have applied, you might say that you have no views beyond those expressed in your interview July 3. Assume you will seek if possible to confine discussion to obligations accepted by Three Powers at Potsdam.
2. You should in your discretion speak also to Cadogan as rep of Potsdam signatory.
3. For your background information, at Under Secretary’s meeting Friday morning, course described above was approved in preference to approach discussed with you yesterday.
Byrnes
- This book is found in the master files of the Reference and Documents Section of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO Files).↩