IO Files: SD/A/C.1/84
Position Paper Prepared in the Department of State
Withdrawal of Troops From Territories of Other Member Nations the problem
The General Assembly on December 14, 1946 adopted a resolution on “Principles Governing the General Regulation and Reduction of Armaments” (A/267), paragraph 7 of which provided in part: “it (the General Assembly) recommends the Members to undertake … the withdrawal without delay of armed forces stationed in the territories of Members without their consent freely and publicly expressed in treaties or agreements consistent with the Charter and not contradicting international agreements; …”. In the forthcoming session of the General Assembly there may arise the question of the extent to which this recommendation has been carried out by the Members.1
recommendations
- 1.
- If any complaint should be made to the General Assembly that the United States has failed to comply with the resolution quoted above, the United States delegation should make an appropriate reply on the basis of the latest information furnished to it. (See comment below.) In its discretion, the delegation may include in its reply a statement to the effect that United States forces have been stationed in territories of Member Nations only with the freely given consent of [Page 627] such Members, that following the adoption of the resolution of December 14, 1946 the United States took prompt steps to comply with the provisions of paragraph 7 quoted above, and that in no case do United States forces stationed abroad constitute a threat to peace and security. In the unlikely event that a complaint against the United States appears to be developing into a major issue which cannot be quieted by such assurances of United States’ good faith and good intentions, the delegation should consult the Department for instructions.
- 2.
- The United States delegation should not oppose any reasonable proposal that the General Assembly attempt either to ascertain the extent to which Members generally have complied with the resolution or to determine the need for further action by the General Assembly on the same subject. However, it should not take the initiative in proposing such action. (If such proposal calls for the submission of data on numbers and location of forces abroad, the delegation should be guided by the position set forth in.2)
- 3.
- If any complaint should be made to the General Assembly alleging failure by any Member other than the United States to comply with the resolution, the United States delegation should ascertain the validity of such complaint and be guided accordingly, consulting the Department if necessary.
- 4.
- If any proposal should be made that the General Assembly condemn generally the presence of troops on foreign soil in time of peace the United States delegation should oppose it on the ground that the portion of the resolution of December 14, 1946 quoted above clearly implied that the United Nations had no objection to the stationing of a Member’s forces in the territory of another Member when authorized by “treaties or agreements consistent with the Charter and not contradicting international agreements.” The United States delegation should also oppose any attempt to place additional restrictions upon such stationing of forces.
comment
In order to comply with the portion of paragraph 7 of the General Assembly resolution of December 14, 1946 quoted above, the United States has undertaken negotiations with a number of Members for an exchange of notes or joint communiqué to cover United States’ armed forces stationed in their territories. It is hoped that these negotiations will have been satisfactorily completed by the time the General Assembly convenes. No attempt is being made at this time, however, to obtain agreements covering very small contingents of United States military personnel on missions of an obviously temporary [Page 628] nature such as, for example, grave registration units, groups which are arranging for the disposal of certain items of military equipment, etc. The Department is of the opinion that the resolution was not directed at situations of this sort.
Prior to the convening of the General Assembly, the United States delegation will be furnished with a summary of the latest available information regarding United States forces located in the territories of Members of the United Nations, the extent of United States’ compliance with the resolution, and the status of negotiations which may still be incomplete. (In view of the possibility that attempts to embarrass the United States in the Assembly on the issue of location of troops abroad may go beyond the precise scope of the quoted portion of the resolution, the delegation will also be given a brief summary of the current situation in each case where United States forces are stationed in the territories of non-member states.) This statement will also include a full account of action taken by the United States, since adoption of the resolution, in completing the withdrawal of troops from certain areas, such as Iceland, where their former presence might be the subject of adverse comment.