560.AL/4–2546: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman)
us urgent
3496. For Hawkins. Deptel 3329, Apr 18. In view postponement negotiating meeting Dept proposes following plan of action designed to maintain momentum and interest both here and in other countries: [Page 1319]
- 1.
- Meeting ECOSOC Preparatory Committee would be held about July 1, in New York, as tentatively announced by Mudaliar at London meeting.66 Purpose of meeting would be to organize Committee, to begin consideration of work assigned to it by ECOSOC, to discuss Proposals on general exploratory basis, and to establish drafting subcommittee of five or six countries (e.g. US, UK, USSR, Canada, France, Cuba) to draft detailed Charter of ITO on basis of Proposal discussions and drafts submitted by various countries (e.g. our draft of Charter67). We would not set agreement on Proposals as avowed goal of this meeting but would hope that substantial measure of agreement on main lines of Proposals might emerge. Toward close of meeting we would transmit our draft Charter to all members Preparatory Committee and ask that it be considered by drafting subcommittee.
- 2.
- Drafting subcommittee would begin to meet shortly (say Aug 15) after close of Preparatory Committee meeting and would continue in session until drafting job had been completed and formally transmitted to all members of Preparatory Committee for study (say Oct 15).
- 3.
- After sufficient interval for such study, the length of which we could probably control, second meeting of Preparatory Committee would be called for thorough review and revision of draft Charter. This meeting could and probably should coincide with negotiating meeting on trade barriers (see 4, below).
- 4.
- Our public notice intention to negotiate would be issued about Nov 15, and negotiating meeting would be held about Mar 15.
- 5.
- During entire period covered by above points, and beginning as soon as technical preparations completed here, we would push program of transmitting other countries our preliminary and tentative requests for concessions on US exports and would continue urge other countries transmit their corresponding requests to us. We would also press forward with program of bilateral discussions on Proposals and our draft of Charter.
Foregoing is very similar plan urtel 3237, Mar 20 except for drafting subcommittee. Advantage of this device is that participation in drafting subcommittee commits no country definitively yet will in fact reveal extent of agreement among countries concerned and thus forward preparations. Essential therefore that countries selected for drafting subcommittee be important and representative, although all other members of Preparatory Committee would be free to make their views re Charter known to drafting subcommittee.
[Page 1320]Please discuss foregoing with Brit (in your discretion) and cable us urgently their views and your own. In discussing with Brit suggest you may wish emphasize point that agreement on Proposals will not be main object of July meeting (thus possibly forestalling demand for prior meeting of Empire countries) and that we envisage this meeting as relatively small, with not more than a few persons from each country attending.