DEPARTMENT OF STATE Assistant Secretary
October 1, 1952
To: S - The Secretary
Through: S/S ________
From: UNA - Mr. Hickerson
Subject: The Secretary's Opening Speech in the General Debate at the Seventh Session of the General Assembly
Our ideas for your opening statement in the forthcoming session of the General Assembly are running along the following lines. We hope to have a draft by the end of this week.
As we see it, the general philosophical theme of the speech would be the role and responsibilities of nations and of international organization in the world community. We do not believe that your statement should itemize and set forth our position on the agenda items, but rather, without direct reference to specific items, should deal with the underlying problems that they raise. Korea would, of course, be specifically discussed.
The statement should be moderate in tone. It should not be an attack against the Soviet Union. Indeed, we would like to avoid referring to the Soviet by name.
The sequence of ideas might be somewhat as follows:
1. A section would deal in general terms with the responsibilities of nations to fulfill the purposes and principles of the Charter and the need that the world community has for international organization.
2. The history of the United Nations in its first seven years has shown the directions in which it is moving; its further development must be channeled wisely and for the common good. An important development has been the broadened scope and influence of the General Assembly. Discussion remains important in the Assembly; however, in an increasing number of cases it is not an end in itself but can lead to action. The enlarged role of the Assembly reflects a recognition of the political fact that, in a democratic world community, solution of international problems is not the private business of a few powers. This has imposed new responsibilities on members to use the General Assembly wisely, to use discussion not to present a biased and
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partial case, nor for propaganda or campaigns of hatred, but for clarifying issues and as a means for composing differences.
3. An aspect of this development is the assumption by the General Assembly of greater responsibility for the maintenance of peace. Member States too have an increasing responsibility to stand together in support of peace. It is their duty to prepare themselves for and participate in collective action. Fulfillment of this responsibility is also reflected in what is being done, within the framework of the United Nations, to strengthen peace through regional and collective self-defense arrangements and through common cooperative action in areas where no such arrangements have been expressly entered into.
4. The question of disarmament could be related to collective security and the responsibilities of states and of the United Nations to further the disarmament program could be emphasized. Our approach to the question of disarmament would be outlined in this context.
5. A section would deal with Korea: first as an example of the role of the United Nations in collective action, and the responsibility of States to participate to the fullest extent of their capabilities. Secondly, in terms of the responsibility of the General Assembly to help bring about an honorable armistice in accordance with Charter principles. Thirdly, the question of the future of the Korean action in terms of the responsibility of the General Assembly and of States for increased participation and more equitable sharing of the burdens. This section would also state our conception of United States responsibility in its special capacity as the agent for the United Nations in conducting the military operation and in the truce negotiations. Finally, reference would be made to the present and future role of the United Nations in the reconstruction of Korea.
6. A section would be devoted to the complex of colonial problems in terms of the role that the United Nations can play in their solution and of the responsibilities of the nations involved. The responsibility of Governments toward the peoples of areas they control is to lead them to self-government. The responsibility of dependent peoples is to develop their capacity to govern themselves. The responsibility of both is to seek peaceful settlements where disagreements arise. And the responsibility of the United Nations is to assist in achieving a peaceful solution. This section would deal generally with the competence of the Assembly and with the functions of discussion and resolution in such cases, --not to arouse passions or create pressures but rather to find common ground for agreement.
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7. A section would be devoted to the question of the responsibility of States and of the United Nations to the individual in the fields of human rights and economic and social progress.
A. First in respect to human rights where both States and the United Nations have a responsibility of ensuring to the individual certain fundamental rights. There are many types of abridgment of human rights, these call for differing approaches and differing solutions.
There is the problem of discrimination against races or religious groups. Some States are doing their best to see to it that citizens treat their fellow citizens fairly, in accordance with Charter principles. Examples of this are India and the United States. In other instances States seem to think that the cure for group tensions is to silence and further submerge those who are discriminated against.
There is the problem of political discrimination against individuals because of their ideas, where flagrant oppression, imprisonment and labor camps are matters of state policy.
How can the United Nations deal with these problems. The declaration and covenant of human rights is one approach. Another is to bring particular cases to the United Nations when the existence of the problem interferes with friendly relations among nations. Assembly discussion can direct the ingenuity and wisdom of statesmanship towards methods of solution in order to fulfill the Charter purpose of encouraging and promoting respect for human rights. The suggestion might be made that the General Assembly should give further study to the role that the United Nations can play and what practical measures it can take under the Charter in this field.
B. Another aspect of responsibility to the individual is in respect to economic and social progress. There the responsibility of States and the role of the United Nations is clear. The attainment of higher standards for their own peoples is the direct responsibility of States. The United Nations plays its role through international economic and social programs, relief programs, technical assistance, land reform, and the work of the specialized agencies. It is an important obligation of United Nations membership to cooperate in these programs and in the specialized agencies for the attainment of the goals of the Charter.
8. The concluding section of the speech might deal with the promise for the future which would exist in a community of nations where responsibilities are recognized and carried out, where international organization assists in harmonizing and coordinating the actions of nations under the rule of law in all the fields identified
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in the Charter. Achievement of these goals is distant. Grave problems, fears and tensions will remain with us for a long time. But it is essential for future generations that they be faced squarely and realistically using all the resources and the strength of an organized world community.
cc: S/A - Ambassador Jessup S/P - Mr. Nitze L - Mr. Fisher S - Mr. Shulman USUN - Ambassador Austin Ambassador Gross Ambassador Cohen