CFM Files
United States Delegation Journal
USDel (PC) (Journal) 27
The previous day’s record was adopted without objection.
The joint resolution of the US, the UK and the USSR with regard to the consideration of the views of the ex-enemy states was adopted unanimously. This resolution took the form of an addition to the resolution adopted at the third meeting (Monday):73
“This would not prevent any member of the Commission referring to memoranda of the ex-enemy states in discussion upon the appropriate article.”
The Czechoslovak Delegate proposed a specific procedure for the hearing of non-member states invited to the Conference. After considerable [Page 300] discussion, the Czechoslovak proposal as amended by Yugoslavia and the UK was adopted unanimously as follows:
“Suggestions submitted by states invited or who may be invited to the Conference will be studied by the Commission on the initiative of one of the members of the Commission. However, proposals submitted in the form of amendments by them shall not be submitted to a vote unless sponsored by one of the members of the Commission.”
The Chairman then proposed to take up the Italian draft treaty article by article and a debate developed upon the order of doing this and upon the procedure for adopting any of the articles. Admiral Conolly opposed adopting finally any of the articles until all memoranda of the ex-enemy states and amendments had been submitted to the Commission and until the entire treaty had been reviewed. He was supported by the French and the UK Delegates. In the course of the debate it was suggested by the USSR that a time limit for the submission of amendments be set. At length the differences between the Delegates were resolved in a proposal to which the US, UK, USSR and the Chairman contributed. It was adopted unanimously, as follows:
“The Commission shall examine the articles of the peace treaty successively and in the order of the numbers thereof; and simultaneous with the corresponding amendments. The adoption of each article shall only be final after the approval of the whole of Parts 4 and 5 of the treaty, which constitute the mandate of the Commission. Such approval shall only be moved after expiry of the time limit imposed for the tabling of amendments.”