Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, United Nations Affairs, Volume III

S/A files, lot 53 D 65, “UNGA 1952—4th Committee”

Memorandum by an Adviser of the United States Delegation to the General Assembly (Cargo)¹

confidential

[New York, December 9, 1952.]

• Subject:
• Composition of the Ad Hoc Committee on Factors

In a meeting of the Administering Powers, called by Australia and the United Kingdom, held on December 5, 1952, the United Kingdom strongly urged that since difficulties were being encountered in finding a fifth administering member for the Factors Committee, all administering members should agree to refuse to serve on the Committee. In the ensuing discussion Ambassador Muccio expressed opposition to this suggestion. Ryckmans also recognized that, if such an attitude of non-cooperation were adopted the Administering Powers would be in an indefensible position since that would be, in effect, refusing a balanced committee after this had been freely offered to them by the non-administering members. Australia also opposed the suggestion. It was evident that Denmark and New Zealand were not much in sympathy with the proposal for non-cooperation, although they were prevented from saying so directly by the fact that the instructions which they had precluded them from serving on the Committee. The issue was left unresolved, with the understanding that the Administering Powers would consult their governments further on the basis of the factors which had emerged at the meeting. The New Zealand representative who was rapporteur of Committee 4, reported that the Chairman of Committee 4 also rather hoped for an opportunity to nominate an unbalanced committee and to break the precedent which he apparently regards as unfortunate.

Subsequently, on December 8th Dr. Lannung told Mr. Cargo that he had discussed the situation with both New Zealand and the United Kingdom on the day following the meeting, and that the United Kingdom had agreed to serve as the fifth administering member. This decision was announced by the Chairman of Committee 4 at the meeting of the Committee on the morning of December 8th.

This episode seems to illustrate rather clearly the desire on the part of certain Administering Powers to find a basis for non-participation in colonial questions in the United Nations and, in particular, their strong desire to associate the United States in such efforts.

W[illiam] I. C[argo]

1. Addressed to Philip C. Jessup and Charles A. Sprague of the U.S. Delegation to the General Assembly and the following advisers to the Delegation: Ambassador John J. Muccio, O. Benjamin Gerig, Curtis C. Strong and E. P. Noziglia. Ambassador at Large Jessup was the U.S. spokesman in the Fourth Committee, with the assistance of Ambassador Muccio.