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277 Cranborne to Commonwealth Government

Cablegram 239 [1] LONDON, 12 September 1944, 10 p.m.

TOP SECRET IMPORTANT

Your telegram 5th September No. 224. [2] World Organisation.

Grateful for this expression of your views which we learn the
Australian Minister has given to the United Kingdom Delegation.

For the most part we find ourselves in agreement. Following are
detailed comments on particular points.

2. Your (2). We hope that 'principles' in Section IV of the draft
(my telegram 12th September D No. 1338 [3]) will be regarded as
adequately meeting this point.

3. Your (3). International air force-see my telegram 7th September
D No. 1302 [4] security. The important feature of proposals in our
memorandum 'C' [5] was military staff committee. This has now been
accepted in principle-see paragraph VIII (9) of my telegram D No.

1338.

4. Your (4). We note your views as to economic and other
sanctions. It will have since been seen that 'diplomatic, economic
and other measures not involving the use of armed force' form the
subject of paragraph VIII B.3 of my telegram D No. 1338. Use by
council of armed force is only recommended in paragraph VIII B.4
in event of council considering such measures inadequate.

5. We had noted your views on regional security arrangements in
the Pacific area. The proposals now under consideration at
Washington are shown in Section VIII C of my telegram D No. 1338.

6. Your (6). Sovereign equality of peace-loving states is to be
the basis of the organisation-see principle 1 of Section II. As
regards sanctity of treaties and orderly processes of change,
explicit provisions of the League Covenant as to former had a
hampering effect and provision for latter remained a dead letter.

Avoidance of express provisions on either point offers in our view
a better prospect of effectiveness.

7. Your (7). We are attempting with some success to assure to
assembly as large a share of responsibility as is compatible with
the essential functions of council viz.-to act promptly and
effectively in matters in which speedy action may be vital to
success. See generally Section V B of my telegram D No. 1338.

8. Your (8). The Delegations have agreed to recommend five
permanent and six non-permanent members. To enlarge this total
might reopen the door to the United States proposal for a
permanent seat for Brazil. In practice we think it inevitable that
the non-permanent members will reflect the interests of different
parts of the world. The difficulty we feel is over proposals for
formal division of the world into regions for the purpose of
electing such members.

9. Your (9). See Section X of my telegram D No. 1338 and paragraph
3 of my telegram 11th September D No. 1336. [6]

10. Your (10). We have very much in mind need for consultation of
secondary states and for ensuring that they enjoy their due share
of responsibility and representation both in world organisation
and in ancillary bodies.

1 Repeated to the N.Z. Govt as no. 190, and to Cadogan in
Washington from Eden.

2 Document 270.

3 On file AA:A989, 44/630/5/1/11/5. The reference appears to be to
Section II not to Section IV. Apart from Section X, the Sections
of cablegram D1338 referred to in this Document are substantially
and numerically the same as the chapters agreed to by the United
Kingdom, United States and Soviet Union. Section X was in fact
incorrectly numbered on cablegram D1338 (there being no IX) and it
appears in the Dumbarton Oaks proposals (Document 311) as Ch. IX.

4 On file AA:A816, 146/301/1.

5 See Document 270, note 3. 6 On the file cited in note 4.


[AA:A5954, BOX 1821]
Last Updated: 11 September 2013
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