Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, General; the United Nations, Volume I

560.AL/7–746: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Harriman)

secret
us urgent

Washington, July 16, 1946—6 p.m.

5419. For Hawkins from Brown. 1. Have discussed early publication ITO Charter (say Aug) with Clayton (urtel 6507 July 7 [6]) who agrees this should by all means be done. Please endeavor persuade Brit wisdom this course which we think desirable to keep momentum as well as remove doubts and criticisms arising from misunderstanding of condensed language of Proposals. Also we have already promised in procedural memo Feb 6 to distribute US version of Charter to nuclear govts. You may assure Brit we would explain other govts our draft Charter does not represent inflexible position but is merely put forward as elucidation and basis for discussion.

2. Final ECEFP action on Charter expected by end this week. Will cable changes basis draft recently given you by Ross⁷⁴ so you may consult Brit on details main issues prior publication without, however, seeking firm agreement on such details.

3. Re timetable transmission rate requests, Dept unwilling urge nuclear govts complete transmission by Nov 15 in view doubts our ability meet this deadline in all cases. We prefer set general deadline at end this year but you may inform Brit we will make every effort complete our preliminary rate requests of Empire countries by Nov 15 in view their special needs. We agree urge transmission lists of items, without rates, as soon as possible and avoid setting deadline for these lists.

4. Dept considers action now necessary regularize relations between nuclear group and Preparatory Committee by asking Chile, Lebanon and Norway join trade-barrier negotiations on same basis as others. Dept therefore proposes cirtel to nuclear missions instructing them advise nuclear govts our proposal and request reactions within week or ten days. Please consult Brit, pointing out awkwardness and confusion resulting from continuation of present status and fact that addition of these three would not add greatly to negotiating burden. Particularly difficult for US defend present status in view US initiative on trade-barrier aspects.

5. We are informing UN secretariat US will strongly oppose any move postpone Oct meeting (urtel 6636 July 11⁷⁵) and are pressing them issue invitations immediately. [Brown.]

Byrnes

74. James A. Ross, Jr., formerly Assistant Chief of the Division of Commercial Policy, and appointed Economic Adviser to the United States mission at New Delhi. Mr. Ross, passing through London on his way to India, presumably had carried with him to London one of the drafts of the “Suggested Charter” which had been formulated in the final stages of ECEFP’s work on the matter.
75. Not printed. The Board of Trade had discussed with the London Embassy reports from the United Nations that the UN Secretariat was delaying issuance of invitations to the October meeting of the Preparatory Committee because of “doubt as to effect” of the postponement of the date of the convening of the General Assembly (this date had been moved from September 3 to September 23). The Embassy reported that “Liesching feels strongly and we agree that invitations for mtg London Oct should be issued at once. That if later found necessary to delay mtg countries will meantime have been stimulated to get on with preparatory work and less harm will be done.” (560.AL/7–1146) See footnote 88, p. 1345.