Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, National Security Affairs; Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

IO Files: US/A/2512

[Extract]

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Philip C. Jessup, Ambassador at Large

secret

[New York,] September 21, 1950.

Subject: Various Assembly Items

Participants:	Secretary Lester B. Pearson, Canadian Delegation
	Mr. B. G. Riddell, Canadian Delegation
	Ambassador Philip C, Jessup, United States Delegation

I lunched with Mr. Pearson at his apartment today. Mr. Jerry Riddell was also present. The following items of UN business were discussed.

1. Vishinsky Speech September 20th¹

The Canadians thought the most interesting part of Vishinsky’s speech was his repeated emphasis on the principle of “effective international control.” Pearson said that in previous years we had had to drag out of them admissions of this principle. They suggested that we should nail the Russians upon this point. If, prior to any discussion of the Russian Resolution, a way could be found to demand that they produce their concept of what constitutes “effective international control”—with emphasis on each one of the three words—the Assembly would probably secure a basis for just refusing to talk about any of their other propositions. This of course on the assumption that the Russians are no more ready now than they ever were to talk with reality about this phrase. If the Russians really will accept effective international control, Pearson thought that in the light of such a miraculous change we could really go ahead and discuss things like disarmament. He was under no illusions that such a change had really taken place and was stressing the debating value of a suggested parliamentary procedure. He and Riddell wondered whether a separate item on the definition of “effective international control” could be put on the agenda and perhaps referred to the Sixth Committee² for consideration before we debated the Russian Resolution. They had considered an alternative of tacking this problem onto the Russian agenda item and then in Committee vote through a proposal to take up the definition first. I told them that we would study the idea.

[Here follows discussion of other subjects.]

1. For the text of the address by Andrei Y. Vyshinsky, Soviet Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Delegation, at the 279th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, September 20, see GA(V), Plenary, pp. 27–31. Vyshinsky’s address included a draft resolution titled “Declaration on the removal of the threat of a new war and the strengthening of peace and security among the Nations.” For documentation on General Assembly consideration of this item, see vol. ii, pp. 371 ff.
2. Legal Committee.