Lot 60–D 224, Box 43: PIO 224
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Leo Pasvolsky, Special Assistant to the
Secretary of State
[Washington,] March 15, 1944.
Mr. Wright called on instruction to deliver the attached Aide-Mémoire. I told him that we would study the
document and give him our reaction to it soon.
He informed me that the British Government is setting up a Cabinet
Sub-committee to pass on the documents in this field which are being
prepared by the various experts. He also said that they expect to have
their documents ready in four to eight weeks and inquired whether or not
we could give them some idea of our time schedule.
[Page 633]
I replied that we are not in a position to
do so at this time, but that we are hard at work.
He inquired whether Dr. Bowman64 would discuss these matters in London. I
replied that I was not in a position to tell him anything on that
subject.
[Annex]
The British Embassy to
the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have carefully
considered the “Summary of Topics” provided by the United States
Government65 in connection with the projected
discussions on future world organisation. They suggest that it might
now be profitable for the three Governments concerned to start work
on papers which it is to be hoped they will fairly shortly
communicate to each other. If this is agreeable to the United States
Government in principle, His Majesty’s Government in the United
Kingdom propose that such papers should deal with the following main
categories of subjects chosen so as to cover important points
mentioned in the American and British “Summaries of Topics”:
- (A)
- Scope and nature of international organisation. This would
deal with membership, constitution of the assembly and world
council, secretariat, etc. and give the general framework of
the organisation.
- (B)
- Guarantees, determination of breaches of the peace, and
pacific settlement of disputes, including Permanent Court of
Justice. This would cover main political obligations.
- (C)
- Security. This would deal with the means by which threats
to or breaches of the peace should be prevented and with
plans for joint action.
- (D)
- Coordination of economic and political machinery. This
would deal with relations to be established between
functional bodies and the main organisation.
- (E)
- Method and procedure by which world organisation should be
established.
2. Acceptance of this plan would not of course preclude any other
topic being developed in appendices or in special papers.
Washington,
March 15,
1944.
