Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The United Nations; The Western Hemisphere, Volume II

USUN Files

Memorandum by the Deputy Director of the Office of Dependent Area Affairs (Jones) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Sandifer)¹

confidential

[Washington,] March 6, 1951.

Subject: Position to be Adopted by the United States Delegation to the Trusteeship Council on the Ewe Question

Recommendations:

It is recommended:

1. that the United States Delegation introduce an amendment to the proposed Anglo-French Resolution (Enclosure1²) along the lines set forth in Enclosure 2, after having determined that such an amendment is acceptable to the French and British Delegations.

2. that, as to the language of our amendment, the Delegation, at its discretion, seek to obtain the agreement of the French and British Delegations to the modifications in language set forth in Enclosure 3.

3. that the Delegation seek to obtain the co-sponsorship of one or more non-administering members of the Council for our proposed amendment.

Discussion:

The above recommendations are based on the following considerations:

1. The Anglo-French proposal for obtaining the participation of the Ewe-unification groups in the Enlarged Standing Consultative Commission and the proposed resolution which would endorse their proposals seem unlikely to be adopted by the Council. Even should they be adopted, it is very doubtful if they would secure Ewe participation in the Consultative Commission or persuade a majority of Members of the United Nations that every feasible step had been taken to obtain Ewe participation.

2. The United States proposal to hold new elections in the southern section of French Togoland as a means of obtaining Ewe participation in the Consultative Commission is entirely unacceptable to the French, and to the British as well.

3. Consultations have been carried on both in New York and Washington with the British and French in order to work out an acceptable solution.

4. Sir Alan Burns has suggested both to the Delegation in New York and to officers of the Department that a way out of the impasse might be for the Trusteeship Council merely to take note of the steps thus far taken by the two Administering Authorities in regard to the Ewe question, to request them to continue their efforts to set up procedures for consulting all elements of the population of the two Togolands, and to request them further to report back to the next session of the Council.

5. The United States Delegation drafted an amendment to the proposed Anglo-French resolution to achieve the objectives outlined by Sir Alan. The resolution as amended is attached as Enclosure 2. This draft was discussed with members of the French Delegation on the afternoon of March 5 and Ambassador Garreau expressed full agreement with it.

6. The changes in drafting set forth in Enclosure 3 are proposed by UND in the interest of harmonizing the original draft with our amendment. However, the Delegation should consult closely with the French and British as to the exact language of the amendment and if the British and French Delegations find it impossible to accept any of the drafting changes, the United States should not press them.

Enclosure 2

confidential

Proposed Draft Resolution Discussed by U.S. Trusteeship Council Delegation With French Trusteeship Council Delegation on March 5, 1951

The Trusteeship Council

Having considered the General Assembly resolution of the 2nd December 1950 (document A/1616) on the subject of the Ewe problem;

Noting with interest the statements made by the Administering Authorities regarding the electoral methods adopted for elections to the enlarged Consultative Commission for the Trust Territories of Togoland under French Administration and Togoland under British Administration;

[Considering that these methods were such as to enable all sections of the population to express their true opinions;]³

Noting that certain groups in the two Trust Territories declined to take part either in certain stages of the elections or in the proceedings of the enlarged Consultative Commission;

Regrets that, as a result, it has not been possible for certain points of view to be expressed in the Commission;

Notes with approval that the Administering Authorities propose to take steps in order to encourage these groups to take part hereafter in the work of the Commission;

Urges these groups to take advantage of these proposals and to take part accordingly in the second session of the Commission;

Recalls its resolution of the 14th July 1950;

Invites the Administering Authorities concerned to proceed as soon as possible with the further implementation of the plans set out in document T/702, or with any other methods for completing the composition of the Consultative Commission in such a manner as to make it representative of the principal elements in the population; and

Recommends, whether or not the composition of the Commission is completed, that the Administering Authorities formulate as soon as possible substantive proposals for a practicable solution of the question, and inform the Council accordingly [at its next session].⁴

Enclosure 3

confidential

Proposed Draft Resolution Discussed by U.S. Trusteeship Council Delegation With French Trusteeship Council Delegation on March 6, 1951, With Drafting Changes Suggested Subsequently by the Department

The Trusteeship Council

Having considered the General Assembly resolution of the 2nd December, 1950 (document A/1616) on the subject of the Ewe problem;

Noting with interest the statements made by the Administering Authorities regarding the electoral methods adopted for elections to the enlarged Consultative Commission for the Trust Territories of Togoland under French Administration and Togoland under British Administration;

(Note: The following considerandum to be omitted)

[Considering that these methods were such as to enable all sections of the population to express their true opinions:]⁴

Noting that certain groups in the two Trust Territories declined to take part in certain stages of the elections or in the proceedings of the enlarged Consultative Commission;

Regrets that, as a result, it has not been possible for certain points of view to be expressed in the Commission;

Notes with approval that the Administering Authorities propose to take steps in order to encourage these groups to take part hereafter in the work of the Commission;

Invites the Administering Authorities concerned to proceed as soon as possible with the further implementation of the plans set out in document T/702, or with any other methods for completing the composition of the Consultative Commission in such a manner as to make it representative of the principal elements in the population;

(Note: The following two paragraphs to be shifted so as to come after, rather than precede, the above paragraph; the “urges” paragraph tobe redrafted as follows:)

Urges the groups which declined to take part either in certain stages of the elections or in the proceedings of the enlarged Consultative Commission to cooperate with the Administering Authorities to this end;

Recalls its resolution of the 14th July, 1950; and

(Note: The words underlined⁵ at the end of the following paragraph to he added)

Recommends, whether or not the composition of the Commission is completed, that the Administering Authorities place before the Council as soon as possible substantive proposals for a practicable solution of the question, and inform the Council accordingly at its next session.

1. Forwarded to New York under cover of a memorandum from Jones to Ambassador Sayre, March 6.
2. For text of enclosure 1, see enclosure to minutes of meeting of administering members, February 16, p. 537.
3. Brackets in the source text.
4. Brackets in the source text.
4. Brackets in the source text.
5. Printed here as italics.