501.BB/12–1046: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:51 p.m.]
953. There follows text of resolution concerning Spain, adopted Dec 9 by Committee I:
“The peoples of the United Nations, at San Francisco, Potsdam and London condemned the Franco regime in Spain and decided that, as long as that regime remains, Spain may not be admitted to the United Nations.
The General Assembly in its resolution of 9 February 1946 recommended that the members of the UN should act in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the declarations of San Francisco and Potsdam.
The peoples of the UN 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.
[Page 1084]The General Assembly recalls that in May and June, 1946, the Security Council conducted an investigation of the possible further action to be taken by the United Nations. The Subcommittee of the Security Council charged with the investigation found unanimously:
- (a)
- In origin, nature, structure and general conduct, the Franco regime is a Fascist regime patterned on, and established largely as a result of aid received from Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Mussolini’s Fascist Italy.
- (b)
- During the long struggle of the United Nations against Hitler and Mussolini, Franco, despite continued Allied protests, gave very substantial aid to the enemy powers. First, for example, from 1941 to 1945 the Blue Infantry Division, the Spanish Legion of Volunteers and the Salvador Air Squadron fought against Soviet Russia on the Eastern front. Second, in the summer of 1940, Spain seized Tangier in breach of international statute, and as a result of Spain maintaining a large army in Spanish Morocco large numbers of Allied troops were immobilized in North Africa.
- (c)
- Incontrovertible documentary evidence establishes that Franco was a guilty party, with Hitler and Mussolini, in the conspiracy to wage war against those countries which eventually in the course of the World War became banded together as the United Nations. It was part of the conspiracy that Franco’s full belligerency should be postponed until a time to be mutually agreed upon.
The General Assembly, convinced that the Franco Fascist government of Spain, which was imposed by force upon the Spanish people with 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 established by or brought into relationship with 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;
Recommends79 that if within a reasonable time there is not established a government which derives its authority from the consent of the governed committed to respect freedom of speech, religion and assembly and to the prompt holding of an election in which the [Page 1085] Spanish people, free from the force and intimidation and regardless of party, may express their will, the Security Council consider the adequate measures to be taken in order to remedy the situation and;
Recommends that all members of the United Nations immediately recall from Madrid their Ambassadors and Ministers Plenipotentiary accredited there.”80
- This and the following paragraph constituted the two parts of the Belgian amendment referred to in the bracketed note, p. 1081. The Belgian proposal had been submitted initially, before the Sub-Committee stage, as an amendment to the United States draft resolution (GA (1/2), First Committee, p. 357, annex 11h). Following the Sub-Committee phase, the Belgian delegate re-submitted his amendment as an addition to the Sub-Committee draft (GA (1/2), ibid, p. 301).↩
- The final paragraph of the Resolution as adopted by the General Assembly on Dec. 12 is missing in the Resolution as quoted in this telegram. The missing paragraph reads as follows: “The General Assembly further recommends that the States Members of the Organization report to the Secretary-General and to the next session of the Assembly what action they have taken in accordance with this recommendation.” Complete text printed in Department of State Bulletin, December 22, 1946, p. 1143.↩