RSC Lot 60 D 224
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Leo Pasvolsky, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State
| Participants: | The Soviet Ambassador, the Secretary of State, Messrs. |
| Dunn, Hackworth, and Pasvolsky |
The Ambassador called at the Secretary’s request to discuss the question of chairmanship of the Committee of Jurists. The Secretary stated at the outset that, in our opinion, the Soviet proposal for four [Page 215] chairmen was impractical. The Ambassador replied that his instructions were specific on this subject.
The Secretary then said that he proposed, at the morning session, to designate Mr. Hackworth as temporary chairman.60 The Committee would then meet in the afternoon and elect a permanent chairman.61 The British had informed us that they would nominate Mr. Hackworth, and the Chinese that they would second the nomination. The Secretary inquired as to what the Soviet representative would do. Would he present the Soviet proposal and have the Committee vote on it?
The Ambassador said that he would have to think the matter over, but that he felt he must maintain his proposal. He rejected our proposal to have the representatives of the other three sponsors act as vice-chairmen, and our further proposal that we follow the Dumbarton Oaks procedure.
He then said that if the plan outlined by the Secretary was carried out, it would probably be necessary for the Soviet representative to abstain from voting, but that he would give the matter further thought.