Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, General; The United Nations, Volume I

501.BC Armaments/3–3147: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)

restricted
us urgent

Washington, March 31, 1947—6 p.m.

116. Following are our views re plan of work for CCA:¹

1. This plan can best be developed in a working committee constituted of representatives of all eleven members of Commission. We favor establishment of such a committee on a standing basis which would consider as its first task the plan of work.

2. Political safeguards and other political problems should be studied initially in political committee meeting informally and corresponding to AEC’s Committee 2.

3. There should be esablished a technical subcommittee to examine problem of safeguards, from standpoint of what is technically feasible (for your information a list of topics which might be considered by such a subcommittee is being prepared and will be forwarded as soon as available).

4. Political committee should as its first task study principles which should underlie work of CCA, making recommendations thereon to CCA through working committee. UK proposed principles² and any others which may be introduced should be referred this committee, which would also in due course consider political safeguards and political issues relating to technical safeguards.

5. You will note that above differs from proposal in position paper dated Mar 20 (RAC D–13c final)³ in suggesting political committee separate from working committee. This change is recommended in view of usefulness which similar AEC committee structure has demonstrated and because working committee will probably function fairly formally whereas political committee should be as informal as possible. Should other members of CCA manifest strong desire to have working committee consider political questions directly you may in your discretion concur in such an organizational arrangement.

6. We consider it preferable that initial discussion of plan of work take place in working committee and would therefore favor your supporting proposal we understand Belgian made that working committee be set up at once and that no other decisions re organization or plan of work be made by CCA itself pending report of this committee.⁴ You should endeavor obtain agreement your colleagues this position. If however it becomes necessary discuss full structure in CCA itself in open meetings you are, of course, at liberty to present views included in paras 2, 3 and 4 above whenever you deem it appropriate.

7. Structure proposed by Chinese⁵ would, in our opinion, lead to premature discussion of “what”. Furthermore, it would, we believe, be impracticable to discuss regulation and reduction apart from safeguards. We hope Chinese can be persuaded not to press their proposal.

Substance of above was informally communicated Brit Emb Mar 29, it being made clear that views were then tentative. UK had apparently gained impression from penultimate para of Herschel Johnson’s Mar 24 statement in CCA⁶ that US intended at early date submit specific proposals re safeguards. It was explained that this was erroneous and that phrase “manner in which Commission could most usefully examine” safeguards related only to proposals re procedure.

Acheson

1. The Commission for Conventional Armaments, established by the Security Council on February 13, first met at Lake Success on March 24. Documentation generated by the CCA exists in the Reference and Documents section of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (hereafter referred to as “IO Files”).
2. The principles under reference were enunciated at the 1st Meeting of the Commission on Conventional Armaments, March 24, by Sir Alexander Cadogan, the British representative; these principles were substantially the same as those contained in the note from the British Ambassador to the Secretary of State, February 14, not printed, the reply to which, March 5, is printed on p. 425.
3. Ante, p. 437.
4. Reference is to a proposal made by the Belgian representative at the 2nd Meeting of the Commission on Conventional Armaments, March 28 (IO Files).
5. At the 2nd Meeting of the Commission on Conventional Armaments, March 28, the Chinese representative suggested the establishment of two subcommittees: an armaments subcommittee to consider proposals regarding reduction of armaments and a safeguards subcommittee to consider regulation mechanisms (IO Files).
6. The reference is to remarks by the United States representative at the 1st Meeting of the Commission on Conventional Armaments.