501.BC/4–346: Telegram
The United States Representative to the United Nations (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State
29. The Security Council met Wednesday morning, April 3,66 at 11:13 a.m. to consider replies from the Governments of the Soviet Union and Iran on the “existing status” of bilateral negotiations between those two countries. Ambassador Andrei Gromyko, Soviet delegate, was not present.
Council Chairman Dr. Quo Tai-chi invited Hussein Ala, Iranian Ambassador, to sit at the Council table. Dr. Quo read letters from Secretary-General Trygve Lie, advising that he (Lie) had requested the Soviet Union and Iranian representatives to have their Governments submit reports on the status of their negotiations. The Chairman [Page 403] also read a letter from the Prime Minister of Iran, stating that Ala has been and continues to be fully accredited and qualified to represent Iran before the Council.
The Soviet reply to the Council’s request for information said that negotiations had led to an understanding regarding the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Iran and that other questions were not connected with the withdrawal.67 The Soviet report did not mention “unforeseen circumstances”, a proviso included by Gromyko in earlier statements to the Council.
The Iranian answer68 said that the negotiations had not achieved “positive results” and Soviet agents, officials and armed forces continue to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran. It pointed out that on March 24—the day before present session of the Council opened—the Soviet Ambassador to Iran informed the Iranian Prime Minister that the promise to evacuate Russian troops from Iran within a period of 5 or 6 weeks was on the condition that no unforeseen circumstances should occur. Three days later, in another conversation with the Iranian Prime Minister, the same Soviet representative said that there would be no further cause for anxiety and no unforeseen circumstances would take place if agreement could be reached on the questions of oil concessions and a form of autonomous government for the Province of Azerbaidjan, the Iranian report added.
After the replies had been read, Secretary of State James F. Byrnes said that he did not care to discuss them until he had an opportunity to study them. He then asked Ala whether in the light of the replies he had any suggestion to make as to what action should be taken by the Council.
Ala answered that Iran would be willing not to press further at this time for consideration of the matter, provided the Soviet representative would be willing to remove the condition of “unforeseen circumstances” relating to the withdrawal of troops and give the Council assurance that the troops would be evacuated unconditionally not later than May 6, and provided that these matters remain on the agenda of the Council for consideration at any time.69
Chairman Quo adjourned the meeting at 11:45 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 4, with the observation that replies had been [Page 404] received too late to enable the Secretariat to make copies for the delegates.
Wednesday afternoon Security Council delegates met informally at a closed session to discuss latest developments in the Iranian question.70
The Security Council’s committee of experts Wednesday afternoon, April 3, reached agreement on the redrafting of eighteen provisional rules of procedure.
- For the official record of the proceedings of the Security Council on April 3, see SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, pp. 83–87.↩
- The reply by Ambassador Gromyko was dated April 3. It also stated that the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Iran had been renewed on March 24 and would be completed within one-and-a-half months. For text of the reply, see SC. 1st yr., 1st scr., No. 2, p. 84.↩
- By Ambassador Ala, dated April 2; for text, see ibid., p. 85.↩
- For text of Ambassador Ala’s statements, see SC, 1st yr., 1st ser., No. 2, p. 87.↩
- A memorandum on the Second Executive Meeting of the Security Council, held at 3 p.m., April 3, 1946, not printed; it was prepared by the United States Delegation at the United Nations on April 8 and was given control number US/S/5 (filed under 761.91/4–846).↩