Memorandum of Conversation with Jacob Malik, John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State Dean Acheson, and Others

Extracted text

OCR Page 1 of 5
Memorandum of Conversation 26, 27 October 1950 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Subject: The Japanese Peace Treaty Participants: Mr. Malik, USSR Representative on Security Council Mr. Troyanovski, USSR translator Mr. Dulles Mr. Allison Colonel Babcock 1. Mr. Dulles opened the conversation by explain- ing that the United States attitude toward a treaty with Japan was based on the theory that the best way to assure Japan's adherence to peaceful ways and her adherence to standards of good international conduct was to conclude with her a non-restrictive and liberal peace treaty. He explained that, in the view of the United States, we were faced with two alternatives: either to impose a harsh treaty which must be backed up by force over a long period of time, or to conclude a liberal peace. While we recog- nize that the second alternative offers no guarantee of attaining our objectives it seems to us to offer a better chance of success than the other course of action. He then handed Mr. Malik the Memorandum on the Japanese Peace Treaty which has been given to each of the nations repre- sented on the Far Eastern Commission. 2. Mr. Dulles then pointed out (in connection with paragraph 3(c) of the memorandum dealing with terri- tories) that it could be assumed that if the USSR were a party to the treaty, Japan would, by the treaty, cede South Sakhalin and the Kuriles to the Soviet Union. As regards Formosa and the Pescadores, the United States feels it is appropriate for the United Nations to consider whether, and if so how, the purpose of the Cairo Declaration could be carried out consistently with the obligations of Article 73 of the UN Charter, which obligations have now been DECLASSIFIED VOL. VI PAGE 1332 By WLT-HC NARS, Date 10-19-79