Editorial Note
On November 7 the United States representative on the Fourth Committee, Mr. Dulles, reading President Truman’s statement of November 6, announced to the Committee that the United States was prepared to place under trusteeship with the United States as the administering authority the Japanese mandated islands and any Japanese islands for which it might assume responsibilities as a result of World War II. This declaration was accompanied by a general statement to the Committee (approved by the Department in telegram. 269, November 5, not printed, File No. 800.014/11–446) outlining the position of the United States regarding the establishment of a trusteeship system with particular reference to the implementation of Article 79 of the Charter.
After describing the problems involved in attempting a definition of the term “States directly concerned”, Mr. Dulles continued:
“In the light of these considerations the United States Delegation urges that the Assembly, and this committee on its behalf, should not become involved in all these questions. We prefer a practical procedure which, in harmony with the letter and spirit of the Charter, will, as quickly as possible, permit the establishment of the trusteeship system and the giving to the inhabitants of the trust territories the benefit of that system. Concretely, we propose:
- “1. That a small sub-committee of this committee should be established to consider the draft trusteeship agreements before us and to negotiate on our behalf in relation to them;
- “2. That all states which are interested be given the opportunity promptly to submit to this sub-committee and to the mandatory power involved their suggestions regarding these proposed trusteeship agreements;
- “3. That after hearing such suggestions and after consultation with the sub-committee, the mandatory power concerned shall promptly advise the sub-committee as to the acceptability of those suggestions;
- “4. That the agreements reflecting any such modifications shall then be considered by this committee and referred by it to the General Assembly with the recommendation of this committee, in each case, as to approval or disapproval.
“Under this procedure”, Mr. Dulles went on, “every state which is interested, whether or not technically a state ‘directly concerned’, whether it be large or small, whether it be near or far, will have an equal opportunity to present its views. All would, however, without prejudice to any rights they may possess, now forego formal classification as being, or not being, states ‘directly concerned’ and would forego formal signature of the preliminary agreement, accepting the verdict of a two-thirds vote of the Assembly.” (United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, First Session, Second Part, Fourth Committee, Part I, p. 76. Hereafter cited as GA(I/2), Fourth Committee, Pt. I. Text of the complete Dulles statement on this occasion is found in Department of State Bulletin, December 1, 1946, pages 991 ff.)
Because of the wide range of subjects under consideration by the Fourth Committee at this time (there were three other items on the Committee’s agenda in addition to eight proposed trusteeship agreements), the Fourth Committee on November 14 appointed two subcommittees, Sub-Committee 1 taking over the trusteeship agreements as its sole concern. Sub-Committee 1 organized itself on November 15, and immediately began examination of the agreement proposed by New Zealand for Western Samoa. The summary record of this subcommittee is found in United Nations, Official Records of the General Assembly, First Session, Second Part, Fourth Committee, Part II. Hereafter cited as GA (I/2), Fourth Committee, Pt. II.
For an analytical summary in pertinent part of the work of the Fourth Committee, its Sub-Committee 1 and the General Assembly on the trusteeship question during the second part of the first session of the General Assembly, with detailed citations to the official record, see United Nations, Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs (1955 edition), volume IV, pages 175–300. Hereafter cited as Repertory of UN Practice.