Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Foreign Minister of Australia Richard Casey, and Ward P. Allen

534 1619 62 UNITED STATES DELEGATION TO THE SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY INFORMATION MEMOR ANDUM OF CONVERSATION cryf November 7, 1952 (Typed November 10, 1952) SUBJECT: Racial Conflict in South Africa; Hearing of NSGT Representatives in Committee 4. 352 PARTICIPANTS: Foreign Minister Casey, Australian Delegation 362 The Secretary of State Ward P. Allen Racial Conflict in South Africa, Minister Casey stated he understood the U.S. would vote in favor of UN compstence in this case and indicated Australia did not share this view. He asked if the Secretary could explain the position in more detail. The Secretary replied that this, of course, from both the legal and political point of view, a very troublesome problem; that on the one hand the Charter contains a number of provisions regarding the observance of basic human rights, and on t he other, the injunction in Article 27 against interference in domestic matters. Where the exact line is to be drawn in the apparent con- flict between the human rights and domestic jurisdiction provisions of the Charter cannot be settled on the basis of words and formulas. For example, there is no subject generally regarded as more essentially within domestic jurisdiction than immigration policy, and yet we have had numerous international conferences on this matter, one recently concluded in Brussels. It is quite clear that this subject is one appropriate for at least discussion in an international forum. As one proceeds from discussion to recommendation to action, one rapidly ape proaches intervention in domestic matters. Certainly action is intervention, probably recommendation would be intervention, and it may be that in some cases discussion would be intervention. In the present case, however, the U.S. is in- clined to vote that the GA is competent to discuss if the question of competence is reised at the outset and to make a minatory statement along the foregoing lines. However, we believe from the point of view of wise policy, as well as regard for legal difficulties, that the General Assembly, if it desires to pass any recommenda~ tion, should confine itself to a general one referring to general standards of con= duct which all nations should follow. The Assembly is surely competent to do that and, indeed, has done it on several occasions in the past. However, any resolution DECLASSIFIED directed E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) 372 Dept. of State letter, , NARS SHOMET SECURITY INFORMATION By NLT-HC 11/12