Lot 60–D 224, Box 55: D.O./P.R./16
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius) to the Secretary of State
Subject: Progress Report on Dumbarton Oaks Conversations—Seventeenth Day
On the initiative of Ambassador Gromyko, he, Sir Alexander Cadogan, and I met this morning for the express purpose of eliminating so far as possible points as to which we had as yet been unable to reach agreement. Thereupon we reached agreement on the following items:
(a) Economic and Social Council
It was agreed that provision for an Economic and Social Council, along the lines of the American proposals, will be included in the joint recommendations. All that remains is perfecting the drafting.
(b) Suspension and Expulsion
Sir Alexander and I agreed to reinstate the expulsion provisions, in order to facilitate agreement. It is, therefore, now agreed that powers both of suspension and of expulsion will be expressly stated in the joint recommendations.
(c) Voting in the Council
I stated that the American group is prepared, though with reluctance, to agree that the normal vote of the Council shall be by majority vote, if the adoption of such a provision proves to be necessary in order to reach agreement on the joint recommendations as a whole. Sir Alexander reserved his position for consultation with his Government.
[Page 784](d) Continuous Session of the Council
Agreement was reached on the provisions stipulating that the Council should be in continuous session.
(e) Specific Reference to Disarmament
Sir Alexander and I agreed that in addition to empowering the organization to consider the regulation of armaments there should be an express provision for the power to consider also the question of disarmament. The phrasing of the provisions relating to regulation of armaments and to disarmament remains under discussion.
Points Still Open
As a result of the decisions recorded above there now remain unsettled only the following items of significance:
- (a)
- Whether the initial members should include, in addition to the United Nations, the associated nations. We do not anticipate difficulty on this point.
- (b)
- The vital question of whether parties to a dispute should be prohibited from voting. You are aware of the special efforts being made to achieve agreement on this point so that further reference to the matter in this memorandum is unnecessary.
- (c)
- Sites for bases. This topic appears to have somewhat diminished in importance in the opinion of the Soviet group. However, the matter has not been finally disposed of, as yet, in a manner agreeable to all concerned.
- (d)
- International air force. Here also the prospect for agreement seems brighter although final agreement has not yet been reached.
- (e)
- Assistance to states suffering loss as a result of carrying out decisions of the council. The Soviet group still maintains, though without rigidity, its reservation to this point.