Cablegram UN835 NEW YORK, 28 November 1946, 10.24 p.m.
SECRET
Assembly 277. Veto.
Reference your UNY418 [1] and UNY419. [2]
1. On completion of voting on disarming of troops in foreign territories in Committee One today we immediately suggested that the Committee might resume debate on veto. We did so partly to assist the Americans and British who were not ready to commence disarmament debate but principally to maintain our initiative and to draw the attention of the Committee to our revised draft, and to ensure that veto question did not disappear in the rush of Assembly business. After brief discussion during which Molotov expressed strong wish to make statement on disarmament we accepted the Chairman’s suggestion that a special session or sessions be set aside during the weekend for conclusion of the veto debate and that disarmament discussion should proceed. In yielding to the Chairman’s wish we gained some goodwill which may be useful in future conduct of business.
2. At today’s meeting we lodged a copy of the revised draft and we have also discussed it with various delegations. United Kingdom will support it and United States will support all except second paragraph on which they will abstain. Reaction among smaller powers is also generally satisfactory.
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1 Dispatched 28 November, it requested details on the state of veto discussions and, in particular, on the position of the Australian draft resolution.
2 Dispatched 28 November, it approved the revised Australian draft resolution on the veto. See Document 253.
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[AA:A1838/2, 852/10/5, i]