740.00119 EW/4–2749: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
confidential
Brussels, April
27, 1949—3 p.m.
614. EP from Daspit.
- [1] After three hour debate on revised plant list, Assembly adopted by 7–3 vote my closure motion put forward as substitute for Yugoslav motion to address request occupying powers to reconsider plant withdrawals. In putting closure motion president indicated affirmative vote would be interpreted as ending discussion and demonstrating that Assembly considered undesirable to act on Yugoslav proposal.
- 2. Supporting motion were US, UK, France, Netherlands, Greece, South Africa and Pakistan, the last apparently as result misunderstanding of motion. Canadian delegate, who had promised support prior to April 13 meeting, absent. Opposing were three satellites.
- 3. Yugoslav and Albanian delivered lengthy attacks on revision agreement, Albanian proposing that Assembly demand reparations from current production. Czech registered brief protest. Indian, Pakistanian both expressed disappointment at further reduction reparations pool, Indian pointing out that explanation of revision emphasized European recovery and asking that great needs of his country be remembered.
- 4. I made statement outlined mytel 495, April 5.1 British delegate gave moderate support. French made no statement but Rueff in chair conducted debate in helpful manner. Dutch delegate, Gelissen, spoke strongly in support. Australian repeated position summarized mytel 554, April 13.2
- 5. Several delegates pointed out that uncertainties would continue surround operations until Assembly had received final list of plants available from PR item. British delegate promised list of plants from [Page 594] UK zone in near future but indicated that valuations and inventories would probably be incomplete.
- 6. Vote yesterday should end discussions this matter except for technical implications for agency’s work. However, lack of effective rules of procedure in Assembly, together with irrepressibility of Albanian and tendency of most delegates abstain on controversial issues in which they are not directly concerned make prediction unsafe.
Sent Department 614; repeated Paris 107, London 71, Berlin 87.
Kirk
- Not printed; in this statement Daspit had traced the development of the European Recovery Program, the Organization of European Economic Cooperation, and reparations, concluding that the retention in Germany of the plants in question would best serve the purposes of European recovery. (740.00119 EW/5–549)↩
- Supra.↩