Memorandum from John D. Hickerson to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

CANTINONE 1124 DEPARTMENT OF STATE ASSISTANT SECRETARY October 1, 1952 273 To : S - The Secretary Through: s/s From : UNA - Mr. Hickerson J.A 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 orga- nization 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 responsibili- ties 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 DECLASSIFIED partial E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) 10.26.16 Dept. of State letter, By NLT- HC NARS Date 11-29-76 10/1