394.31/12–1550: Telegram
The Acting Chairman of the United States Delegation to the Torquay Conference (Corse) to the Secretary of State
294. 1. CPs agreed December 15 establish WP following terms reference: “To examine the contention of the Czechoslovakian delegation that, in withdrawing item 1526 A of Part I from Schedule XX the United States has failed to fulfill the requirements of Article XIX, and to report to the contracting parties.”
2. Members WP to be designated later.
3. General feeling of CPs that not sufficient opportunity to study facts to enable them appraise situation.
4. Czechoslovakia insisted immediate vote on charge that US violated GATT by Article XIX action. If vote had been taken we believe results probably would have been one vote support Czechoslovakia, few votes for US, and many abstentions. Even though we could thus have won vote, we felt such decision with only few votes for US and many abstentions would make poor record. Hence we thought avoid vote and refer matter WP. Also various informal conversations with other delegates indicated they felt uneasy, as matter procedure and for other reasons, about vote at this stage.