501. BC Armaments/4–2547: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)
Priority
200. Urtel 389, Apr 25.1 Secretariat’s draft plan of work for CCA is £ls it stands unsatisfactory as basis for further Subcom discussions. Chief faults are:
(a) Omission any provision for examination (re US and UK positions) of conditions essential establishment of effective system for regulation and reduction armaments; (b) inclusion entirely extraneous matters as in 2(C); (c) distortion of emphasis and obviously incomplete and weighted enumeration of various alternatives, especially in paras 2 and 4; and (d) apparent prejudgment several issues, especially relative priorities.
There follows suggested redraft plan of work designed to correct above faults and to reflect what we consider logical order priorities CCA work. All ref to subject matter para 4 Secretariat draft omitted in view present US position this point (RAC–D–13c final2). We recognize, however, US cannot oppose if majority members favor it, inclusion in work plan of item re consideration of whether report on armaments and armed forces within its competence is necessary for CCA work, and if so at what stage.
This draft may in your discretion be submitted Subcom as substitute [Page 471] for Secretariat draft and should we believe form basis appropriate informal discussions other members of Subcom. You should in any case insist on inclusion item 2, and, in so far as plan sets forth priorities, on precedence of items 2 and 3 over all others except item 1. There would be no objection appropriate elaboration of item 4 if other members strongly desire. Parenthetical portion of item 2 may be omitted provided it is made clear we shall insist these points be discussed under this item. Subheadings under item 3 may also be omitted in your discretion.
draft plan of work for CCA
- 1.
- Consider and make recommendations to SC concerning armaments and armed forces which fall within jurisdiction of CCA.
- 2.
- Consider conditions of peace and security essential to establishment any effective system for regulation and reduction armaments and armed forces, [including relationship of: (a) peace settlements, (b) international control of atomic energy, and (c) implementation of Art 43 of Charter, to such establishment.]3
- 3.
- Consider practical and effective safeguards by means international
system of control operating through special organs, including:
- (A)
- A reporting system;
- (B)
- A system of inspection and other means of control;
- (C)
- Organization, functions and personnel of international control agency;
- (D)
- Relationship of international control agency to other UN organs;
- (E)
- Rights and privileges of international control agency in territories of participating nations;
- (F)
- Definitions of violations and evasions;
- (G)
- Remedial and enforcement action in case of violation or evasion.
- 4.
- Consider possible methods of regulation and reduction armaments and armed forces.
- 5.
- Consider possible methods for regulating production of, and international traffic in, certain armaments and war materials.
- 6.
- Consider nature and sequence of possible stages in effecting regulation and reduction of armaments and armed forces.
- 7.
- Consider applicability of system for regulation of armaments and armed forces to states not members of UN.
- 8.
- Submit a report or reports to SC presenting specific proposals. Report or reports might include basic provisions for a convention embodying these proposals.
- At its 5th Meeting, April 9, the Commission on Conventional Armaments created a subcommittee to prepare a draft plan of work; this subcommittee first met on April 21. The subcommittee decided that the Secretariat of the CCA should draft a plan of work and tabulate various proposals (IO Files). Telegram 389, not printed, contains the text of Doc. S/C.3/SC.2/1, the suggestions for a draft plan of work prepared by the Secretariat (501.BC Armaments/4–2547).↩
- Ante, p. 437.↩
- Brackets appear in the source text.↩