TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF WORLD PEACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 8, 10 January 1946, Page 5

TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF WORLD PEACE

UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE STARTING Recd. I I p.m. London, Jan. 9 To-night His Majesty the King entertained at a State banquet the delegates from 5 1 nations who are in London to attend the second conference of the General Assembly of the United. Nations Organisation, which opens to-morrow (Thursday).

The Russian delegation arrived to-day. Mr. Vyshinsky, Soviet Vice-Commissar for Foreign Affairs, who is to lead the Russians, was not with them, because he has been held up in Rumania, having gone there as one of a ‘‘Big Three” commission to advise the Rumanian Government as to the type of Government the three big Powers (Britain, United States and Russia) are anxious to accept.

It has been suggested in Paris that General de Gaulle himself will lead the FrcVich delegation, but there is, as yet, no confirmation of that here.

The United States Secretary of State (Mr. J. F. Byrnes) had informal discussions to-day with the British Foreign Secretary (Mr. Ernest Bevin), meeting him for the first time since their conferences in Moscow with Mr. Molotov (Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs).

Four Prime Ministers (Mr. Attlee, Mr. Fraser, M. Schermerhorn, Holland, and Faris el Khouri, Syria) will be present at the General Assembly when it meets. Fifty Foreign Ministers will also be present. Dr. Eduardo Zuleta (Columbia), who was chairman of the Preparatory Commission which met in London last month, will open proceedings in the Assembly. Mr. Attlee, at a Cabinet meeting yesterday, told other Ministers what he proposed to say in his speech at the inaugural session of the Assembly. He will confine his speech to a general statement of Britain’s interest in the success of the Assembly. On Friday, the day alter the opening of the Assembly, Mr. Ernest Bevin will state the British attitude on world affairs in detail. This is expected to be an important statement of British policy. Britain’s weight, it is expected will be exerted toward building up the influence of the United Nations Organisation, rather than toward a further strengthening of the “Big Three’’ partnership. This policy will not imply any diminution of conviction that peace ultimately depends on satisfactory relations between Britain, the United States and Russia, but the British Ministers are*reported to have been slightly discomfited, if not dazzled, by the aura of power with which the Soviet and the United States negotiators surround themselves at the conference table, and they hope that the support of other nations at the General Assembly will cure this malaise. “JUNIOR PARTNER’’ Britain’s strong reluctance to be forced into the position of a “junior partner” in “Big Three” affairs may also lead the British delegates to raise the question of regional pacts at Assembly meetings. The agenda for the Assembly has not yet been issued, but a preview of it wets given at yesterday’s press conference, where it was emphasised that the first phase, lasting probably two or three weeks, would be procedural. One of the most important decisions to be taken will be the election of the secretary-general. This will not cake place until after the Security Council meets.

The Assembly’s plenary session for the whole of next week will be taken up by a general discussion on the Preparatory Commission’s report, on which all delegates want to speak. Luring that time the Security, Social and Economic Councils will be holding their own meetings, also the Assembly’s committees, including the Atomic Control Commission. When the atomic energy resolution comes before the Assembly it will immediately be referred to the commission, whose report a few days later will perhaps initiate the Assembly’s most important debate. The agenda’s item 17 gives the delegations an opportunity of raising matters of “urgent importance.” Britain will bring to the Assembly’s notice the problem of refugees, and she will seek the establishment as soon as poss;ble of an organisation under the U.N.O. for the recent war’s displaced persons, to ensure that these people will be moved to countries where they can start new, useful lives. Another resolution urges increased heip for U.N.R.R.A. Others cover the 1 v’orld’s food situation and the general economic situation. THE ATOMIC BOMB It has long been accepted that the atom c bomb will be the chief subject Oi interest at the forthcoming meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation, but it was not anticipated that it would become a main news item before the conference started, writes the N.Z. Press Association's special correspondent in London. This has occurred because of American exceptions to the text of the Moscow communique and that of the resolution to be placed before the Assembly, which differ in seven important words from the Washington communique issued before the Truman-Attlee-Mackenzie King meet ng. . Americans dislike the addition of “inquire into all phases of the problem’’ to the proposal that the United Nations Organisation should create an atomic energy commission. It is reported that Senator Vandenburg told Mr. that the wording was unsatisfactory, and that unless it was corrected he would refuse to go to London. Mr. Truman assured Mr. Vandenburg that the United States had no intention of giving up atomic bomb secrets, and that the resolution to be put before the Assembly would safeguard American interests. USE OF VETO POWER

When in London. Mr. Vandenburg and other members of the United States delegation found that the resolution to be submitted to the Assembly was identical to the Moscow communique, and it was over-late for tb.e text to be altered. Mr. Byrnes, however, announced that the United States would use its veto power and safeguard its interests through the committee of five, headed by Mr. Dean Acheson. Mr. Vandenburg and Mr. Dulles both stayed away from a Press conference given by the American delegat on yesterday, presumably because they desired to await Mr. Byrnes’ arrival and discover whether they can agree to proposals he will make.

The incident has produced an atmosphere of some tension since it is felt that the Soviet delegates will resist any attempt to alter the text approved by Moscow, whTe if the veto

is used at this stage the whole future of the U.N.O. might be threatened. MASS OF DOCUMENTS Meanwhile the delegates are familiarising themselves with a mass of documents, to which will be added shortly the voluminous report of the preparatory commission, wnich will be the main basis for most of the debates and committee discussions in the coming weeks. From Britain’s viewpoint, one of the most important speeches to the Assembly in the early stages will be made by Mr. Bevin, who is expected to argue that the U.N.O. should quickly assume full responsibility for world peace. Though some “Big Three” meetings are regarded as necessary, Mr. Bevin's misgivings about them are reported to have increased following the Moscow conference, which it was felt Britain was very much of a third party. Mr. Bevin is reported to believe that the best way to adjust matters for Britain and the Commonwealth is to give full support to the U.N.0., and he will therefore exert his influence to see that middle and small Powers share with the big Powers in deliberations on international problems.