501.BB Summaries/10–2246: Telegram
Senator Austin to the Secretary of State
urgent
[via Courier]
691. GA Secret Summary.
Conversations with U. K. on Trusteeship
In technical level conversations on October 22 on the remaining differences between the U. S. and the U. K. with regard to draft terms of trusteeship for the British African Mandates, it was agreed that, except for the wording of Article 2, which designates the administering authority, and the key question of monopolies, the U. S. would not take the initiative in the GA in raising and pressing substantive amendments on the several points of disagreement still remaining. The U. S. would be free, however, to support proposals by other Delegations in line with the original U. S. position on these several points.41 This followed the lines of earlier discussions in Washington between the British Embassy and the Department.
With regard to Article 2, both groups agreed to consider a possible wording to the effect that the administering authority is designated “under the international trusteeship system”. The U. K. representatives held strong objections to the proposed U. S. wording “on behalf of the United Nations.”
The basic remaining difference on the monopolies was whether the prior approval of the Trusteeship Council should be required for the establishment of monopolies in trust territories. The U. K. representatives strongly opposed such a provision largely on the grounds that it would act as an effective bar to the economic development of trust territories and to the general advancement of the inhabitants. No agreement was reached on this point; the discussions will continue tomorrow.
- Similar understandings were reached with the French on October 25 (telegram 708, October 25, from New York, File No. 501.BB Summaries/10–2546) and the New Zealanders and the Belgians on October 28 (telegram 718, October 28, from New York, File No. 501.BB Summaries/10–2846).↩