RUSSIA MAKES CONCESSION ON DISARMAMENT American Plan Accented

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1946, Page 7

RUSSIA MAKES CONCESSION ON DISARMAMENT

American Plan Accented

Basis of Discussion at UNO (Recd. 1.5 a.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 4. Mr. Molotov told the Political and Security Committee that Russia was anxious for unanimity and therefore would not insist on its own disarmament plan. Although the American proposals “are insufficiently clear and somewhat one-sided,” Russia would accept them as a basis for discussion. Mr. Molotov agreed the veto would not apply to any system of controls and inspection in connection with arms limitation. He made it clear that the Soviet retained the right of veto in the Security Council discussions leading up to the, establishment of control and inspection. Security Council and Veto “There is a need,” he said, “to dispel the obvious misunderstanding which has arisen. The Soviet favours the Security Council adopting measures to prohibit weapons of mass destruction, and only the principle of unanimity in the Security Council (the term the Soviet always applies to the veto) can guarantee the adoption of arms reduction. Unanimity is necessary in adopting regulations for the control commission. “The principle of unanimity has no relevance to the work of conti 01. It is wrong to say that any State which has a veto has the power to prevent control and inspection. Any attempt to prevent the carrying out of control and inspection would be a violation of the Security Council’s decision, he concluded. . .. Sir Hartley Shawcross (England), welcomed Mr. Molotov’s statement as an important concession, and Mr. Paul Hasluck (Australia) said the new Soviet policy opened the way foi immediate United Nations action. Amendments Proposed Pronosing amendments to the American disarmament plan, Mr. Molotov said the Security Council resolution rather than international treaties should provide for a i eduction of arms The treaties would provide excuses for delays. The American resolution should be amended to outlaw atomic weapons and othei mass-de-struction weapons, rather than merely CO Mr ol Molo h tov' accepted the United States principle that the Atomic Energy Commission should continue its work of finding a method of international control of i\/ir Molotov insisted on tne soviet M l ’ that the United Nations pt’opos a fablish two commissions— Sh ° t l control the execution ot the one. to disarmament, and the decision o execution of the . Xwas first, the atomic Bn Sn’’should ’be handled by the ? r ° b ? Vneroy Commission until the Atomic Ene gy ort to the GenC °^As S sembly; secondly, no partial eral As n s „ e^ a y r ’ ma ment should be adsystem o di that atomic wea pOpted Jnnld be prohibited but other ons would oe P ons such as ma would not; thirdly, any agreerockftL ° duce ar paments must be ™ en ilmented by a system of control implementeci y* fourthly , the op _ eSion of that system must not be subject to veto. Comn / ttee T. Connally (United States) Mr Molotov’s declaration we l that the United States and id r pive the amendments. meticuwould £YL ration .'The United States lous con d there should be no interference with the Atomic Energy Comappointed a sub-. The -++op of 20 nations, including A° m SI a to reconcile the various Australia, p ropO sals advanced, S? the American resolution and S Covipt amendments to it. th Tb S e Associated Press says the delegatesregard Mr. Molotov’s amend-

ments as offering no serious obstacle ■to ultimate agreement.