Cablegram UN937 NEW YORK, 7 December 1946
MOST IMMEDIATE
Assembly No. 360.
For Dr. Evatt from Makin.
Trusteeship. States directly concerned.
1. Reference Assembly 354. [1] I saw Bevin this morning with regard to the conversations between Dulles and Novikov on States directly concerned. Ivor Thomas was with Bevin and Bailey with me.
2. Thomas had learned privately that Byrnes was disposed to agree to addition along following general line to statement (para 11 of Assembly 350 [2]) for inclusion in Rapporteur’s report for Assembly: Begins.
With regard to the procedure to be adopted hereafter in respect of territories under the categories (a) mandated territories, and (b) territories which may be detached from enemy States, the States submitting the agreement should, prior to submission to the General Assembly, consult with any of the States mentioned by name in Article 23 of the Charter which assert an interest in the territory and with any other State which has a substantial distinctive interest in the territory. Nothing that is herein contained shall be taken as implying that this consultation implies any condition precedent (Veto) to the conclusion of such an agreement. Ends.
3. Bevin reacted strongly to Thomas against any suggestion that he should be committed without full consideration to any such formula. He had had enough he said of these informal understandings. It was a matter that United Kingdom Cabinet must decide. I emphasised that purpose of my call (as stated in a letter handed to Bevin) was precisely to urge that United Kingdom should not accept any commitment at all until Australian Government had had opportunity of making its views known.
4. We pointed out that every line in the suggested United States formula could apply in the Pacific not only to Soviet but also to China. Thomas remarked that so far as concerned Africa it applied equally to India.
5. United Kingdom Ministers here are preparing Cabinet submission to be sent to London during week-end and Dominions Office is to be asked to maintain contact with you.
6. We learned privately that Novikov was expected to reply last night to United States suggestion along lines of paragraph 2 but up to late hour had not done so.
7. We will advise you immediately of any later developments here.
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1 Also numbered UN930. See Document 286, note 1.
2 See Document 286, note 1. Paragraph 11 reported Dulles’s contention that membership of the Big Five did not necessarily impart the status of ‘States directly concerned’, and his suggestion that the Soviet Govt might agree to a statement to the effect that ‘question not decided but without prejudice to right to claim in future with regard to alteration of these agreements’.
Cablegram UN954 of 8 December conveyed an amended U.S. text based on that contained in paragraph 2 above.
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