560.AL/7–246: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 2—4:07 p.m.]
6432. Discussed plan outlined urtel 4935, June 24 with Helmore and colleagues (Liesching absent) on June 26. Helmore said matter would be given careful consideration in consultation with other appropriate British officials and definite reply would be given us as soon as possible. Following were his offhand reactions:
In general, he favored an approach along the lines indicated. However, he doubted whether the end of this year would be soon enough for completing distribution of list with rates because the UK plans to have an Empire meeting 6 weeks prior to negotiating meeting and would need more time prior to Empire meeting for consolidation of request lists for Empire discussion. He suggested December 1 as latest [Page 1327] date for list with rates with perhaps September 15 as latest date for list without rates.
He was very doubtful about early publication of charter. He felt that if this were done too soon it would result in crystallization of fixed negative positions by governments of participating countries and would give too much opportunity for vested interests to generate pressure on government. Also publication prior to October meeting would divert attention from principles and cause confusion and time-consuming discussion of details. There was also a feeling that publication prior to the October meeting would create antagonism by seeming to presume agreement on principles which the meeting is called to consider. It would be more appropriate and less provocative if issuance of draft were postponed until some time after the October meeting which would permit amount [account] to be taken of the discussions at the meeting.
He agreed that it would be desirable to distribute to participating governments and perhaps to publish the charter in advance of the spring negotiating meeting, but not very far in advance. Arguments are similar to those previously expressed regarding setting up of Drafting Committee at Preparatory committee meeting. (See Embtel 5202, May 16 and 5058, May 11.72a)
Helmore wanted a little time for clearance within the UK Government before giving us definitive reply. This clearance we learn is in progress. Helmore told us today that he hoped to give us definitive views by July 8.
In general, we think British will coordinate with us in educational work through their Missions in nuclear countries.
Helmore told us that the British are working on the charter, not with the idea of producing a complete text, but to develop their thinking on the manner in which the principles agreed to with us will be implemented. However, on certain sections of the charter we understand British are doing some actual drafting and that this is fairly well advanced.
Department will want to consider whether latest version of our draft should not be given to the British in order to get their ideas on points on which they have been working. If this were done before the draft is distributed, the possibility of disagreement by them on portions of our text would be avoided. Presumably we would not want to go into a wider international meeting in complete agreement with [Page 1328] the British on all details, but if we have their views on main points we might modify our draft so as to avoid any wide divergence.73
- Telegram 5058 is not printed.↩
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For the earliest consideration by ECEFP of a preparatory draft charter formulated in the Department in February, see footnote 36, p. 1283. From mid-March five subcommittees of ECEFP were engaged in an intensive effort in the study and revision of the chapters of the preparatory draft that were of special concern to each (the subcommittees engaged were those on Private Monopolies and Cartels, International Commodity Problems, International Cooperation with respect to Employment, Specialized International Economic Organizations, and Trade Agreements; the general chapter headings of the preparatory draft were entitled “Purposes”, “Membership”, “Employment Provisions”, “General Commercial Policy”, “Restrictive Business Practices”, “Intergovernmental Commodity Agreements”, and “Organization”). On May 27 the subcommittees submitted to ECEFP itself a new and carefully drawn draft entitled “Draft Charter of the International Trade Organization” (ECEFP document D–45/46, May 27, 1946), along with other related documents. Consideration of the May 27 draft by the plenary committee began on June 5, and continued on June 7, June 12, June 14, June 19, June 21, June 26, and June 28. By this date the work was substantially done, and there were to be only two more meetings, on July 12 and July 19. At the latter ECEFP effected final revisions and approval to a new draft, entitled “Suggested Draft of a Charter for International Trade Organization of the United Nations” (ECEFP document D–70/46, July 25, 1946).
Relevant documentation is found in the Department of State’s unindexed lot files, Lot 122 (Executive Secretariat of the Department of State Files: Inter-Departmental and Departmental Committees). The minutes of the plenary committee for the period during which it considered the draft charter are found in Box 20. The documents cited are found in Box 22.
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