USUN files, “Dependent Areas (DA),
1952–1957”
Memorandum by the Deputy Director of the Office of
Dependent Area Affairs (
Cargo
) to the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations
Affairs (
Hickerson
)
confidential
[
Washington
,] July 23, 1952.
The Problem
The problem is to determine the nature of the reply which should be given
to the Netherlands Embassy with regard to the memorandum (copy
attached)1 on
non-self-governing territory questions handed to you by Mr. de Beus of the Netherlands Embassy
on June 20, 1952.
Background
On June 20, Dr. de Beus handed
to you the attached memorandum. He explained that his Government had had
for some time the feeling that the situation in the UN with regard to non-self-governing
territories was “getting out of hand” and that the Government of the
Netherlands thought it might be desirable for the administering powers
to take a concerted stand. Dr. de
Beus described the memorandum as a tentative, unofficial
working paper and expressed the hope that we would study it and give him
unofficial comments. You told Dr. de
Beus that his memorandum would receive careful study and
that he would hear from us.
The memorandum left by Dr. de
Beus, described as “Suggestions of the Netherlands
Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, relates entirely to non-self-governing [Page 1206] territory questions arising
in the UN. The memorandum indicates
positions which the Netherlands Government believes should be taken on a
number of substantive questions, including such matters as (1) the
future of the Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing
Territories, (2) the role of the Assembly in relation to information
transmitted under Article 73(e) of the Charter,
(3) the question of implementation of Assembly recommendations relating
to non-self-governing territories, (4) the issue of the discussion of
political conditions in non-self-governing territories, (5) the question
of visiting missions to non-self-governing territories, and (6) the
issue of the cessation of the transmission of information on a
non-self-governing territory.
In addition to these substantive points, the memorandum urges the primary
importance of “unanimous action” by the administering powers in the
General Assembly in connection with issues in the colonial field. It
proposes also that the administering powers should consider the
“sanctions” which they would use to defend their viewpoint, and suggests
certain contingencies in which, in the view of the Netherlands
Government, the administering powers should all refuse participation in
Committee Four or suspend the transmission of information under Article
73(e). The memorandum concludes with the
suggestion that the points contained in it be discussed at a meeting of
the representatives of the administering powers which, it is further
suggested, might take place during the 1952 session of the Committee on
Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories (now scheduled to open
on September 11). The Netherlands wishes to be informed whether a
discussion of such a nature would be considered useful and whether the
points set out in the memorandum might constitute a useful starting
point.
Recommendation
It is recommended that Dr. de
Beus be invited to the Department and that, in the
conversation with him, you make the points set forth in the attached
brief.
Concurrences:
This memorandum has been cleared with WE
(Mr. Spalding) and EUR (Mr. Sale). The Netherlands
memorandum was circulated to the Colonial Problems Committee and was
discussed by that group. The suggested reply to the Netherlands is in
accord with the consensus reached in the Committee.2
[Page 1207]
[Attachment]
confidential
Brief for use in connection with the memorandum on
non-self-governing territory questions in the United Nations
handed to Mr. Hickerson by Dr. J. G. de Beus of the Netherlands Embassy on June
20, 1952
1. The Department is grateful to the Netherlands Embassy for
providing us an opportunity to examine the suggestions of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning policies which might be
followed in the Committee on Information From Non-Self-Governing
Territories and the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly.
We fully recognize the important character of the substantive points
raised by the Netherlands Government and will consider them
carefully in the course of our preparations for the forthcoming
meetings of UN bodies.
When we have been able to prepare our positions on these various
questions, we will welcome further opportunities to explain our
views and to discuss these various questions in detail with
representatives of the Netherlands Government.
The Department will no doubt find itself in full or partial agreement
with a number of points raised in the Netherlands Embassy
memorandum.
2. However, in accordance with the request of Dr. de Beus, we will be glad to make
certain informal comments at this time, particularly concerning some
of the procedures suggested in the memorandum.
3. We would not favor at this time a formal meeting of all
administering powers to consider the various questions raised, for
the principal reason that we wish to avoid, insofar as possible, any
charge that the administering members are taking a broad, concerted
stand against the non-administering members in the Committee on
Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories and the General
Assembly.
On the other hand, we will welcome, as in the past, exchanges of
views as fully and as frequently as may be desired with Netherlands
representatives and representatives of other administering and
non-administering states. We would hope to continue full exchanges
of views, so far as may be feasible, among administering members as
well as with non-administering states at the time of the meeting of
the Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories and
during the General Assembly.
4. We have taken careful note of the suggestion in the memorandum
that the administering powers should consider the “sanctions” which
they would use to defend their viewpoint and, in particular, the
proposal that, in certain contingencies, the administering powers
should [Page 1208] jointly refuse
participation in Committee 4 or suspend the transmission of
information with regard to their territories.
It can be said at this time that the Department would strongly advise
against any action by the eight administering powers which would
suggest the use of “sanctions” on our part in an effort to combat
extreme action by the General Assembly. The United States, for its
own part, would not be able to agree to employ such “sanctions”.
Such a course of action, we believe, would not only greatly damage
the United States position in the General Assembly but would also
cause serious damage to the position of the Netherlands Government,
which up to now has not experienced in the Fourth Committee the
degree of criticism directed at some of the administering powers,
including the United States.
Action aimed at achieving a United stand and a threat by the
administering powers of non-participation in specified contingencies
would, in our opinion, only serve to antagonize non-administering
members and would result in strong accusations that we were
following the type of tactics employed by the Soviet Union and its
satellites.
5. The Department believes that the Netherlands Government has been
extremely forthright to date in discussing the question of cessation
of information from the Netherlands Antilles and Surinam and that on
this issue it should not assume a defensive position on legalistic
and jurisdictional lines.
As in the past the Department considers that every effort should be
made in the Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing
Territories and the Fourth Committee, as well as the Ad Hoc Factors Committee, to reply to
questioning as patiently and fully as possible. This, we believe, is
the best way to meet anticipated criticism.
6. The Department fully appreciates the special concern of the
Netherlands Government this year in relation to matters arising in
the Fourth Committee and wishes to cooperate with it to the fullest
possible extent in keeping matters in this field from “getting out
of hand”.
