Department of State Atomic Energy Files
Memorandum by Mr. Franklin A. Lindsay to Mr. John M. Hancock of the United States Delegation to the Atomic Energy Commission
[New
York,] December 6, 1946.
Subject: Recommendations for Modifications of Disarmament Resolution Now Being Considered in a Sub-Committee on [of] the General Assembly59
- 1.
- Paragraph 1 has been tentatively agreed upon by all members of the Sub-Committee. It contains the following sentence: “The plan formulated by the Security Council shall be submitted to States Members of the United Nations for ratification in accordance with their constitutional processes.” This statement should be expanded to include the states which are not members of the United Nations.
- 2.
- Paragraph 2 has not been finally accepted by the Sub-Committee. The U.K. has proposed an amendment to the following sentence: “The General Assembly recommends that the Security Council expedite consideration of the report which the Atomic Energy Commission will make to the Security Council before 31 December 1946,” which eliminates the last part “before 31 December 1946.”
- In respect to the Soviet addition to the original American text, [Page 1089] which provides that the Security Council should expedite consideration of a draft convention also, it is recommended that if possible this Russian amendment not be accepted. If this is not tactically possible the statement should be amended as follows: “The General Assembly further recommends that in the light of such proposals which the Atomic Energy Commission may make within its terms of reference, the Security Council expedite consideration of a draft convention or conventions for the prohibition of atomic and other weapons of mass destruction and for the establishment of a system of international control and regulations.”
- 3.
- The Russians have proposed that the United States’ Paragraph 3 be amended to include their statement establishing the two control Commissions. It is strongly recommended that the General Assembly resolution contain no proposals for the establishment of any specific agencies of control. It is the function of the Atomic Energy Commission in accordance with its original terms of reference to make recommendations to the Security Council for the establishment of the proper Commission or Commissions for the execution of the system of control which the Atomic Energy Commission will devise.