UNP files, lot 58 D 742, “Cessation of
Transmission of Information by the Netherlands—Section 1
(1952–1953)”
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Director of
the Office of Dependent Area Affairs (Cargo)
secret
[Washington,] September 8, 1952.
- Subject:
- Possibility of postponing the item on the agenda of the
forthcoming General Assembly relating to cessation of the
transmission of information on Surinam1
- Participants:
-
Baron van Boetzelaer, Netherlands
Embassy
- Dr. Durward V.
Sandifer, UNA
- Mr. William I.
Cargo,UND
Baron van Boetzelaer called at his request and left
the attached aide-mémoire with Mr. Sandifer. The aide-mémoire refers to the item on the agenda of the
forthcoming General Assembly concerning the decision of the Netherlands
Government, announced during 1951, to terminate the transmission of
information to the United Nations under Article 73(e) of the Charter about Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles.
The Netherlands Government states the view that it would be preferable
to postpone the discussion of this item until next year and inquires
whether the United States would be prepared to initiate action in the
General Assembly leading to possible postponement.
Baron van Boetzelaer emphasized that his Government
felt that a discussion on Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles in the
General Assembly at this time might have a disturbing effect on
political conditions in Surinam and might also jeopardize the further
progress
[Page 1239]
of the roundtable
conference, the resumption of which is anticipated in the near
future.
Mr. Sandifer said that the
possibility of postponing the Surinam item had not been taken into
account in the preparations thus far undertaken in the Department on
this subject. He said that, among other factors, this question would
need to be studied in the light of other agenda items and the over-all
situation in the General Committee. Mr. Sandifer observed that, as the
Netherlands Government had already ceased transmitting information on
Surinam, a good case would need to be made if a proposal for
postponement were to be successful in the Assembly.
In response to questions as to the public arguments which the Netherlands
Government thought might be used to justify postponement,
Baron van Boetzelaer said that he would make
inquiries and supply information to the Department on this point, but
that he thought the situation was simply that the Netherlands Government
had decided that the development of self-government warranted a
cessation of the information and that the competence to make this
decision rested with them.
Mr. Sandifer said, while we
wished to be as helpful as possible to the Netherlands Government, the
Department would need to study the aide-mémoire
and that the Netherlands Government would be informed of our views. He
observed that the Department would need to consider specifically whether
the United States would be able to take a lead in the matter as
requested by the Netherlands Government.
[Enclosure—Copy]
Aide-Mémoire
1. The Netherlands Government has given serious consideration to the
question whether the temporary interruption of the RTC between the
Netherlands, Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles should influence
the Netherlands policy of terminating the transmission of
information about the areas concerned to the United Nations.
It maintains the view that already now the West-Indies parts of the
Realm should not any longer be considered to be non-self-governing
territories, about which information should be transmitted under
Article 73(e) of the United Nations Charter,
these territories having attained autonomy in internal affairs since
the Interim Order of Government came into force.
Moreover it has always maintained that it is the exclusive
responsibility of the Administering Power to ultimately decide
whether it should discontinue the transmission of information about
certain areas. This responsibility does not rest with the General
Assembly.
[Page 1240]
Finally it is the opinion of the Netherlands Government that the
General Assembly mistakenly saw a connection in the termination of
the transmission of information on Surinam and the Netherlands
Antilles and the RTC. The only remaining issue to be dealt with at
the RTC is the establishment of a system to manage the collective
interests of the Realm. The right of self-government, granted by the
Interim Order of Government, is not in any way affected thereby.
The Netherlands Government has therefore reached the conclusion that
its policy of terminating the transmission of information to the
United Nations about Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles is not to
be modified on account of the interruption of the RTC.
2. One of the reasons why the RTC did not immediately lead to the
desired results is to be found in the complexity and magnitude of
its task: to lay down in constitutional form the management of the
collective interests of the different partners forms a problem for
which speedy solutions cannot be expected. A major difficulty
confronting the Conference in this connection was the great
difference in resources between the three participants. This
difficulty stood in the way of reaching a solution whereby the
smaller participants would feel that they had been allotted a fair
share in the management of the collective interests.
Moreover the approach of such problems by the Latin American peoples
often has an emotional character whilst the Dutch prefer discussions
on the basis of constitutional law.
Nevertheless the Netherlands Government is confident that a
resumption of the Conference will lead to agreement and that this
resumption will take place in the near future.
The Secretary General of the United Nations is to be informed to that
effect in due course.
It is therefore the considered opinion of the Netherlands Government
that a discussion of the cessation of the transmission of
information on Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles is inopportune
at this juncture and that it would be preferable to postpone it
until next year.
3. There is an additional reason why postponement would be desirable.
The American Embassy at The Hague has brought to the attention of
the Netherlands Government that an American consular officer at
Surinam has informed the State Department of his uneasiness about
the activities of certain extremist groups in that territory. A
discussion of item 38 of the agenda of the General Assembly might
activate these circles in causing further disturbances of the
political balance in Surinam, thus hampering its economic
progress.
4. A discussion of item 38 of the agenda of the General Assembly
might further aggravate the many existing controversies in the
Fourth Commission. The remaining issues of the ETC might be drawn
into a debate, leading to arguments about the right of
self-determination.
[Page 1241]
This
could not only give rise to heated discussions in other Commissions
but would also certainly jeopardize the solution of the remaining
problems before the RTC.
5. A proposal to postpone discussion of item 38 might already be made
in the Steering Committee of the next General Assembly in order to
attain that it be removed from the agenda on the basis of the
information received by the Secretary General as indicated under 2.
This attempt should however, only be made if there is a reasonable
chance of success. If and when this would not seem to be the case it
would be preferable if the Fourth Commission would move to postpone
discussion until next year through a short resolution.
The Netherlands Government considers that, if it would itself take
the initiative in a move for postponement, the impression might be
created that it has something to conceal. In order to obviate
possible suspicions to that effect it would prefer such a move to be
made by another power. It would therefore greatly appreciate to know
whether the Government of the United States would be prepared to
initiate action leading to a postponement of the discussion of item
38 of the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Washington,
September 8,
1952.
