340.1 AG/3–3053
Memorandum by the United States Representative on the Commission on Human Rights (Lord) to the Secretary of State
- Subject:
- Telegrams to American Embassies Concerning New U.S. Policy on Draft Covenants on Human Rights
As a follow-up of my conversation with you Saturday,1 I recommend that telegrams be sent to our Embassies in Belgium, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom requesting them to advise the Foreign Offices of these countries of the new United States policy concerning the draft Covenants on Human Rights.
On Belgium, the Belgian Delegation to the United Nations in New York told me that it would be advisable to have us wire Brussels for Belgian support, because without support from the Belgian Foreign Office, it was likely the Belgian Delegate would not support our new policy.
On France, I expect to meet with Ambassador Dillon and Members of the French Foreign Office in Paris on Saturday, April 4, but it [Page 1563] would be helpful to advise them beforehand of our policy since the Commission meetings open April 7.
On Sweden, the Swedish Foreign Office and Delegate have cooperated with us in the past on the work of the Commission on Human Rights, and a wire to Stockholm now might win their support for our new policy.
On the United Kingdom, I expect to meet the British Delegate in Geneva Monday, April 6, but he is likely to have to wire London then for instructions on possible support of our position. It would be helpful to inform London now of our new policy in order that instructions might be given to the British Delegate before he leaves for the Geneva meetings.
I am looking further into the question of whether telegrams should also go to Lebanon and Chile. If in fact Mr. Charles Malik and Mr. Azkoul of Lebanon do not go, and a new man is to go instead, it may be advisable to send a wire to Beirut. As to Chile, I have been receiving adverse reports as to the views of the new representative of that country, Miss Mistral who is now in New York, and a wire to Santiago may be advisable.
There is no need to send telegrams to the other countries represented on the Commission. I am having direct conversations in New York with the representatives of Uruguay, the Philippines, Australia and China. I doubt the advisability of sending telegrams to India, Pakistan, Egypt and Yugoslavia. The other countries (other than the United States) on the Commission are Poland, the Ukraine and the USSR.
- No record of this conversation has been found in the Department of State files.↩