Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, National Security Affairs, Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

IO Files: US/A/AC.31/30

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. John D. Hickerson, Alternate Member of the United States Delegation to the General Assembly ¹

secret

[New York,] September 27, 1949.

In a conversation with President Romulo² this morning I told him that I would like very much, at his convenience, to discuss the United States position in regard to the atomic energy problem in the current session of the General Assembly. He said that this was an exceedingly important matter and he wished to discuss it with me at once.

I recalled to President Romulo the discussion on atomic energy in the last session of the General Assembly which culminated in the passage of a resolution calling for continued effort in the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission to reach an agreement and for conversations among the six sponsoring powers (that is the five permanent members of the Security Council and Canada), to determine whether a basis for reaching agreement exists. I told President Romulo that the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission had, in pursuance of this resolution, made further efforts to reach an agreement but to no avail. Finally, the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, last July, passed a resolution stating that it had been unable to make progress and that the Commission felt that further conversations in the Commission would exacerbate the existing situation and harden present differences. This resolution was sent to the Security Council and forwarded by the Security Council to the General Assembly for its information.

I told President Romulo that in pursuance of paragraph 3 of the General Assembly resolution of November 4, 1948, the six sponsoring powers had begun conversations on August 9, 1949 to determine whether a basis for an agreement could be found. Since that time seven conversations have taken place and the eighth is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, September 29. I stated that, as President Romulo knew, these conversations were closed, but I could say to him that thus far I could not report that any progress had been made toward breaking the deadlock.

I told President Romulo that, as a representative of the United States in these conversations, I had tried to make it clear that the United States earnestly desires to find a basis for finding a truly effective international agreement under the auspices of the United Nations for the control of atomic weapons. I said that I had made it clear that the United States had voted for the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission’s plan last November, which was approved by an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly. I said that we would continue to support this plan until a better one was in sight. I added that I had made it clear in the conversations that we were prepared to give sympathetic consideration to any new proposals directed to that end—proposals from the Soviet Government or from any quarter. I said that we recognized fully that human ingenuity had not necessarily been exhausted in the Commission’s plan and that it might be possible to produce a better one but until in our judgment a better plan was in sight we would continue to support the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission’s resolution which was approved last November by the General Assembly.

President Romulo inquired whether in my opinion the President’s announcement last Friday about the atomic explosion in the USSR would make any difference in our conversations. I replied that as far as I was concerned it would make no difference whatever and that in the meeting next Thursday and in future meetings I would favor proceeding exactly as we have in the past. He indicated full agreement with, this and said that in his opinion the atomic explosion in the USSR made no difference whatever other than to underline the desirability of an agreement which, as he understands, can be reached only if the Soviet Government alters its position in important respects. I stated that this was correct.

President Romulo asked me how long the conversations of the six sponsoring powers would continue. I replied that they would certainly continue throughout this session of the General Assembly, and I saw no reason why they should not go on indefinitely. I recalled that under the November 4, 1948 resolution the six sponsoring powers are required to submit a report to the General Assembly during the present session. I stated that I considered it unlikely on the basis of our present information, that the six sponsoring powers could do more than submit an interim report later on in this session. This report, after reciting the background and referring to the resolution, would state that the conversations opened on August 9, 1949 and that——number of meetings had been held; that a basis for agreement had not been found but that the conversations and efforts to that end would continue.

President Romulo said that if this procedure were followed, in his opinion all that the General Assembly could usefully do in this session would be to take note of this interim report and express the hope that the conversations would continue and that a basis for agreement would be found. I expressed full agreement with this view.

I told President Romulo that I had been very much surprised to hear of an Indian suggestion that there be atomic energy negotiations in some other forum.³ I added that I anticipated that there might be suggestions that perhaps the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission should be reactivated. All of this, I said, concerned me deeply because of my conviction that conversations are currently going on in the only forum, that is among the six sponsoring powers, where there could be any hope for progress, even if there.

I told President Romulo that I wished to place myself at his disposition to discuss this matter with him on any occasions when he thought it would be useful. I stated that I wanted to keep in closest touch with him because of his great influence as President of the General Assembly and the fact that many delegations would be turning to him for advice and guidance. He expressed his appreciation and said that he had found our discussion exceedingly helpful. He said that he was gratified to see that his view and ours coincided fully as to the limited role which the Assembly could usefully play during the current session, and he said that he would not fail to stress this view in his conversations with other delegations.

1. Hickerson had a similar conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie also on the morning of September 27. (IO Files: US/A/AC. 31/31)
2. Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, President of the General Assembly; Chairman of the Delegation of the Philippines and Permanent Representative at the United Nations.
3. See memorandum of conversation by Osborn, infra.