62. Telegram From the Mission at the United Nations to the Department of State1
Delga 724. Verbatim Text. Re new Soviet item. [Name deleted] (Secretariat) informed us Soviets submitting new item for inclusion agenda entitled: “Question of Aggressive Actions of US which Creates Threat to Peace and Security”. General Committee meets Wednesday afternoon. [Name deleted] says Soviets interested in airing this matter in GC but may not press for inscription.
Following is explanatory memorandum submitted by the Soviets:
“Request for the inclusion of an additional item in the Agenda of the Eleventh Regular Session: Item proposed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Question of aggressive acts by the United States of America constituting a threat to peace and security.
Letter dated 12 February 1957 from the Chairman of the Delegation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, addressed to the President of the General Assembly.
New York, 12 February 1957.
Acting on the instructions of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the USSR delegation requests the inclusion in the agenda of the Eleventh Session of the General Assembly [Page 170] of the following item: ‘Question of Aggressive Acts by the United States of America Constituting a Threat to Peace and Security’.
I should be glad if you would take the necessary steps to secure the immediate consideration of this question at a plenary meeting of the General Assembly.
In accordance with Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure,2 I attach an explanatory memorandum relating to this question.
(Signed) V. Kuznetsov
Chairman of the Delegation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Explanatory Memorandum.
On the basis of the provisions of Chapters I and IV of the United Nations Charter, the USSR delegation, acting on instructions from the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, deems it its duty to draw the attention of all states members of the United Nations to aggressive acts by the United States of America constituting a threat to peace and security.
The reason why this question is raised now, when the Assembly is approaching the end of its work, is that recently the United States of America has taken new steps further straining relations among states and increasing the danger of another war.
A serious study of the international situation leads to the inevitable conclusion that whereas the majority of the world’s states are anxious to ease the international tension and to wipe out the consequences of the “cold war”, the United States Government is pursuing a policy designed to strain and aggravate the international situation and to create a war psychosis.
It was to have been expected that following the measures taken against the Anglo-French-Israel aggression in Egypt and the cessation of hostilities in the Middle East area the United States of America would, together with other states, take further steps to bring the international situation back to normal. That, however, was not the case.
The United States Government has embarked on a policy of further aggravating the situation in the Near and Middle East. The President’s message to the Congress of 5 January 19573 set forth a programme which cannot but be assessed as designed to effect the direct interference of the United States of America in the domestic [Page 171] affairs of sovereign states in the Near and Middle East, the economic and political enslavement of the peoples of countries in this area and the planning of acts of provocation conducive to war.
At the end of January 1957, there was an announcement of new measures taken by the United States to intensify preparations for the unleashing of an atomic war. Ruling circles in the United States not only refuse, to prohibit atomic and hydrogen weapons, but have begun to carry out a plan for the establishment and stationing on the territories of other states of special United States military units, armed with atomic weapons. It is proposed to station such operational units in Western Europe, Turkey, Iran, Japan and, in particular, on the island of Okinawa. It is clear that such actions intensify the threat of a new war.
At the same time, the purpose of these new plans is to avert the principal retaliatory shock from the United States, in the event of the unleashing of atomic war by United States ruling circles, and thus to place under serious threat of a retaliatory atomic attack the peoples of the countries in whose territories it is proposed to station United States atomic military units, i.e., the peoples of the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy, Turkey, Iran, Japan and other countries.
The recently announced draft military budget of the United States for 1957–1958 shows that military expenditure in the United States is being increased and that the armaments race is being intensified. The draft budget provides for military allocations, unprecedented in times of peace, amounting to 45,300 million dollars, which considerably exceeds similar allocations for 1956–1957, vast as those were.
At the beginning of February 1957, it was announced that the already extensive network of United States military bases on foreign territory would be further expanded. It is stated, in particular, that a new United States base will be established in Brazil, a base for jet aircraft in Pakistan, a large new military base on Taiwan and that the construction of many new air bases is being planned in West Germany. At the same time, existing bases are being feverishly expanded and modernized.
All these activities have been undertaken by the United States at a time when peace-loving countries, particularly the Soviet Union, have effected considerable reductions of their armed forces and have considerably decreased their military expenditure.
Recently, there has also been considerable intensification of aggressive military measures along the lines traced by the North Atlantic bloc and other aggressive military groups headed by the United States. This is borne out, in particular, by the fact that West Germany is being compulsorily remilitarized and that the West [Page 172] German army is being entrusted with atomic weapons. Moreover, Hitlerite generals are being placed at the head of the armed forces of the North Atlantic bloc.
The militarization of West Germany cannot fail to arouse anxiety among all peace-loving countries, for it is well known that the leaders of the North Atlantic bloc have assigned to West Germany the role of the main shock troops in their aggressive plans.
Other recent steps taken by the United States with a view to aggravating the international situation and creating situations endangering the cause of peace are also well known.
The States members of the United Nations cannot disregard the increasingly aggressive measures recently taken by the United States.
The Soviet Delegation accordingly proposes that the General Assembly should consider the item: “The Question of Aggressive Acts by the United States of America Constituting a Threat to Peace and Security”.
Urgent consideration of this question by the General Assembly should promote the united efforts of states members of the United Nations to alleviate tension and to improve the international situation”.
Request instructions and statement.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 320/2–1257. Limited Official Use. Priority.↩
- Rule 20 of the Procedures governing regular and special sessions of the General Assembly reads as follows: “Any item proposed for inclusion in the Agenda shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and, if possible, by basic documents or by a draft resolution.”↩
- For text, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1957, pp. 6-16.↩