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J. 333305-MONO-State Galley 111 UNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF Thus, I believe, the Soviets have made up their minds in regard to their position on voting procedure and the only possibility of getting them to change their position would be if we and the British were prepared to take a firm and definite stand, supported by widespread reluctance on the part of the smaller nations to join the organization on the Soviet conditions. It would seem that we should face realisti- cally the far-reaching implications of the Soviet position and adjust our policies accordingly.¹ HARRIMAN 1 A copy of this telegram was sent to the President on January 2, 1945, under cover of a memorandum from Stettinius, stressing Harriman's conclusion that "a very firm stand" may have to be taken (500.CC/1-245). EUR Files Memorandum by the Special Assistant to the Secretary of State (Pasvolsky) 1 1 See Postwar Foreign Policy Preparation, p. 384. [MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION] SECRET [WASHINGTON,] January 8, 1945. Subject: Voting Formula for Security Council Participants: The President The Secretary of State Mr. Dunn Mr. Pasvolsky Mr. Bohlen Copies to: S, U, A-D, SPA, Mr. Bohlen At the meeting today in the White House, the Secretary emphasized to the President the urgent need for reaching agreement on the voting formula at the forthcoming meeting with Prime Minister Churchill and Marshal Stalin. Otherwise, the United Nations conference might be delayed for a long time to come, with resultant slackening of interest and possible growth of opposition. The President said that he was determined to go forward vigorously and to press for a decision. He said that he was clear in his mind as to how he would handle the matter of initial membership for the Soviet Republics, but that he was puzzled as to how to approach the matter of voting procedure. He said that he was still worried as to what the situation would be if a controversy arose between, say, the United States and Mexico, and the matter was taken up by the Security Council without the United States having a vote in whatever decisions might be taken. He inquired whether, in view of the fact that Marshal Stalin has turned down the formula which we have proposed to him, we have succeeded in finding another formula. In a reply to the President's question, Mr. Pasvolsky said that in studying the question we have listed the substantive decisions on which the Council would have to vote. They fall into seven categories. In six of these categories the rule of unanimity of the permanent mem- bers would, under our proposed formula, prevail throughout. Only in the category of decisions relating to peaceful settlement of disputes would there be an exception to the effect that a permanent member, when a party to a dispute, would not cast its vote. In this manner no member of the organization would be above the law in any quasi- fudicial procedures employed by the Council, while, at the same time,

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    "ocrText": "J. 333305-MONO-State\nGalley 111\nUNCORRECTED GALLEY PROOF\nThus, I believe, the Soviets have made up their minds in regard to\ntheir position on voting procedure and the only possibility of getting\nthem to change their position would be if we and the British were\nprepared to take a firm and definite stand, supported by widespread\nreluctance on the part of the smaller nations to join the organization\non the Soviet conditions. It would seem that we should face realisti-\ncally the far-reaching implications of the Soviet position and adjust\nour policies accordingly.¹\nHARRIMAN\n1 A copy of this telegram was sent to the President on January 2, 1945, under\ncover of a memorandum from Stettinius, stressing Harriman's conclusion that\n\"a very firm stand\" may have to be taken (500.CC/1-245).\nEUR Files\nMemorandum by the Special Assistant to the Secretary of State\n(Pasvolsky) 1\n1 See Postwar Foreign Policy Preparation, p. 384.\n[MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION]\nSECRET\n[WASHINGTON,] January 8, 1945.\nSubject: Voting Formula for Security Council\nParticipants: The President\nThe Secretary of State\nMr. Dunn\nMr. Pasvolsky\nMr. Bohlen\nCopies to: S, U, A-D, SPA, Mr. Bohlen\nAt the meeting today in the White House, the Secretary emphasized\nto the President the urgent need for reaching agreement on the voting\nformula at the forthcoming meeting with Prime Minister Churchill\nand Marshal Stalin. Otherwise, the United Nations conference might\nbe delayed for a long time to come, with resultant slackening of interest\nand possible growth of opposition.\nThe President said that he was determined to go forward vigorously\nand to press for a decision. He said that he was clear in his mind as to\nhow he would handle the matter of initial membership for the Soviet\nRepublics, but that he was puzzled as to how to approach the matter\nof voting procedure. He said that he was still worried as to what the\nsituation would be if a controversy arose between, say, the United\nStates and Mexico, and the matter was taken up by the Security\nCouncil without the United States having a vote in whatever decisions\nmight be taken. He inquired whether, in view of the fact that Marshal\nStalin has turned down the formula which we have proposed to him, we\nhave succeeded in finding another formula.\nIn a reply to the President's question, Mr. Pasvolsky said that in\nstudying the question we have listed the substantive decisions on\nwhich the Council would have to vote. They fall into seven categories.\nIn six of these categories the rule of unanimity of the permanent mem-\nbers would, under our proposed formula, prevail throughout. Only\nin the category of decisions relating to peaceful settlement of disputes\nwould there be an exception to the effect that a permanent member,\nwhen a party to a dispute, would not cast its vote. In this manner no\nmember of the organization would be above the law in any quasi-\nfudicial procedures employed by the Council, while, at the same time,"
}