Office of the Historian

711C.02/3–3153

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Lie)1

[UN–1727/89]
New York, January 19, 1953.

The Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations presents his compliments to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and has the honor to refer to Resolution 222 (III), [Page 1442] adopted by the General Assembly on November 3, 1948. This resolution states that, having regard to the provisions of Chapter XI of the Charter, it is essential that the United Nations be informed of any change in the constitutional position and status of any non-self-governing territory as a result of which the responsible government concerned thinks it unnecessary to transmit information in respect of that territory under Article 73 (e) of the Charter. The Members of the United Nations concerned are requested by this resolution to communicate to the Secretary-General, within a maximum period of six months, such information as may be appropriate, including the constitution, legislative act or executive order providing for the government of the territory and the constitutional relationship of the territory to the government of the metropolitan country.

Since 1946, the United States has transmitted annually to the Secretary-General information on Puerto Rico pursuant to the terms of Article 73 (e) of the Charter. However, on July 25, 1952, a new constitution establishing the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico entered into force. In the light of the change in the constitutional position and status of Puerto Rico, the United States Government considers that it is no longer necessary or appropriate for the United States to continue to transmit information on Puerto Rico under Article 73 (e). Therefore, the United States Government has decided that with the submission of information for the period July 1, 1951 to June 30, 1952, it will cease to transmit information on Puerto Rico.

There will be transmitted to the Secretary-General, under separate cover, for the information of the Members of the United Nations, the text of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and other appropriate information as called for under the terms of General Assembly Resolution 222(III).

  1. Source text was attached to Department of State circular airgram of Mar. 31. 1953, 4:10 p.m.; see p. 1444.↩