501.BB/12–346
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:37 p.m.]
907. Following is the text of the Spanish resolution submitted by the US delegation at the meeting of Committee I December 2:78
“The people of the United Nations, at San Francisco, Potsdam and London condemned the Franco regime in Spain and decided that as [Page 1081] long as that regime remains, Spain may not be admitted to the United Nations.
“The people of the United Nations assure the Spanish people of their enduring sympathy and of the cordial welcome awaiting them when circumstances enable them to be admitted to the United Nations.
“Therefore: The General Assembly of the United Nations convinced that the Franco Fascist Government of Spain, which was imposed by force upon the Spanish people with the aid of the Axis powers and which gave material assistance to the Axis powers in the war, does not represent the Spanish people, and by its continued control of Spain is making impossible the participation of the Spanish people with the peoples of the United Nations in international affairs: recommends that the Franco Government of Spain be debarred from membership in international agencies set up at the initiative of the United Nations, and from participation in conference or other activities which may be arranged by the United Nations or by these agencies, until a new and acceptable government is formed in Spain.
“The General Assembly further, desiring to secure the participation of all peace-loving peoples, including the people of Spain, in the community of nations, recognizing that it is for the Spanish people to settle the form of their government; places on record its profound conviction that in the interest of Spain and of world cooperation the people of Spain should give proof to the world that they have a government which derives its authority from the consent of the governed; and that to achieve that end General Franco should surrender the powers of Government to a provisional government broadly representative of the Spanish people, committed to respect freedom of speech, religion, and assembly and to the prompt holding of an election in which the Spanish people, free from force and intimidation and regardless of party, may express their will.
“And invites the Spanish people to establish the eligibility of Spain for admission to the United Nations.”
[A complicated parliamentary situation developed in the First Committee and after 3 days of intensive debate the Committee found itself confronted with two contrasting resolutions (United States and Polish) and eight proposed amendments to one or the other of these. It decided to refer the matter to a subcommittee, which on December 8 adopted a draft resolution of its own (see telegram 953, December 10, printed on page 1083) containing an admixture of these proposals, and amendments already advanced, but only after a flurry caused in the subcommittee itself and in the press by the strong opposition registered by Senator Connally to all proposals calling for a diplomatic break or for economic sanctions. The draft finally adopted on December 9 was an amalgam of the subcommittee’s draft and an amendment presented by the Belgian delegate in turn amended by the United Kingdom. Vote on resolution for adoption was 23 for, 4 against, with 20 abstentions (including the United States). [Page 1082] For published record of this phase, see GA (1/2), First Committee, pp. 225–235, passim, and annexes 11 through 11 L and United States delegation press releases No. 99 and No. 100 of December 7, and No. 102 of December 8. The subcommittee’s report is found in GA (1/2), First Committee, p. 358, annex 11 K, and the report of the First Committee in GA (1/2), Plenary, pp. 1536–1538, annex 70. The telegraphic record in the Department of State is found in File 501.BB. The Department subsequently prepared a detailed analysis in a United States delegation working paper entitled “The Legislative History of the Spanish Question in the General Assembly, Second Part of the First Session, October 23 to December 15, 1946”, dated January 31, 1947 (10 Files, document SD/A/106).]
- This Resolution having been submitted by Senator Tom Connally of the United States delegation and representative on the First Committee is often referred to later as the “Connally Resolution”. At a meeting of the First Committee on December 3, Senator Connally made a careful statement of the United States position stressing that the basis of this Government’s foreign policy was the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. For a summary of the meeting, see GA (1/2), First Committee, pp. 239–240; for a complete text of Senator Connally’s statement, see Department of State Bulletin, December 15, 1946, p. 1086.↩