S/PV.10 Security Council

1 wish ta make a statement to the Council that might possibly be accepte-d as a statement of the Couneil. 1 will just·read what 1 have in mind. 1 would suggest t'bat tlùs might .be a suitablestatement to be made by myself· as ,President of the Security Council. It reads as foilows: . ' . The Security Council hasheard statements by the Governments of the Soviet Union,the United Kingdom and Greece, which have greatly clarified the' position. 1 w~uld have Iiked .to have seen the matter disposed.of by a resolution,.but the matter Ilot having been declared a dispute, it will be sufficient for me to make a short summary of the position in the Cauncil as revealed· by .what has been saidatPrls table. The majority of the members .of the Council. have expressed their views,and in the President'sopinion it is the sense of the Council i:hafthe presence of British .troops in Gre.ece ·does not endangerthe maintenance. of intern.ational·peace _and security. It seems to me that the Council may now regard the matter as closed.The".only .coursenç'w open is to.proceed to .the ·next buSiness. . . 1 take itthatthatis thewish ofthe Council. Mr. VYSHINSKY ·.(Union of Soviet ·Socialist ~epublic~) (translated from.Russian): 1 am not Dl poss~Slonof the .tfo'.Jrt of the.statement or. draft statement-which the .President just read. But··1 can s~Y,:'6nthe b~is of.what l have heard, that the S~Vlet delegatton takes exception to such a " ~ 1,. . ,. .: .'.'. .' ... .y: .... 1See Ojficial Records of theSer;urity Council,First .ear, FirstSeries, Supplement No, 1; Annex 3•. ' . 1 should like to inform the Council that l haye just handed the English. text of my statement ta the President and to Mr. Bevin and 1 want to explain that this text is in complete agreement with Mr. Stettinius's draft, which several members of the Council Wscussed yesterday. during the interval in the meeting of the Security CGundI. Mr. DE FRElTAS~VALLE (Bram): Since the opinions of representatives have been quoted, 1 should like to state our point of view. 1 should have voted for any resolution, as it is my opinion that the presence of British troops in Greece dees not endanger peace. AIl the evielence and the debates we have had here .show .that. But, of course, that does'not imply.the principle of admittingforeign troops to supervise the holding of· elections, excelJt in the. case of ex-enemy countries. 1 should like to make it very ~Iear that ifthere were anyresolution ,put forward nel'e to establishthat the presence of British Mr. STETTINIUS (United States of America): 1 think we have made distinct progress since we met last night. 1 wish ta advise the Council that the United States Government is willing ta accept the proposaI just submitted by the representative of the Soviet Union; but at the same rime 1 wish to make it clear that the remarks that l made several days ago were relevant ta the position in which the United States of America stands. 1 should also wish ta caU attention to the fact that those members of the Council who have spoken on this question have all indicated that they agreed with the position as stated by me at that time. 1 am happy ta endorse the suggestion of Mr. Vyshinsky. Mr. VYSHINSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated from Russian): 1 must take up some of the Security Council's time ta reply 1;0 the Brazilian repr~entative's statement. T!:..e Brazilian representatiye pointed out that no representative had the right ta suggest to the President that he should say what that pam.cular representanve desired. • This eleInentary rule of politeness was known ta many people even before the Brazilian representative's speech. 1 venturcd ta mâe my proposaI because the President in bis declaration stated inost courteously that he wished ta find out the opinion of the Security Council members. At all events~ that is how 1 understood it. And Î did not think that my proposal wOuld cause the President an}" displ~asure or perplexity. This is particularly so since 1 am defendingmy country's interests, and that is the main thing forme. Mr. DE FRElTAS-VALLE (Brazil): 1 should like to explain to ~r. Vyshinsky.I think the misunderstanding may be due to mis-translation. . 1 have always defended the idea of a single official language. My preoccupation was the same as bis. As a matter of courtesy to the President, 1 think that a written statement should not be given ta the President to be read by him as bis own. Of course, we are all of us here defending the interests of our countries... but we are joined together by something that is a little bit higher, the idea of reconciling the interests of our countries in the interest of peace. ! do Dot think there is any difference between Mt. Vyshinsky's apin- Ml'. DE FREITAS-VALLE (Brazil): 1 just want Mr. Vyshinsky not'to misunderstand me again. 1 never said that he did something discourteous. 1 think that he is a very agreeable persan) and 1 Iike very much ta talk with him) even in public. It is merely a matter of procedure. Procedure occupies a greater part of the time of the conference than the real matter of substance. 1 just want to reserve the rights of the President) hecause, as everybody 1mows) 1 may be President myœIf in some ten days; then 1 myself should want to make my personal statement as President. Mr. VYSHlNSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated trom Russian): It appears that Mr. de Freitas-Valle is not only an agreeable man, but aIso a very cheerful one. But today 1 do not feel dispo::ied to j0=e. Mr. BEVIN (United Kingdom): i have listened with very great interest to the statement made by Mr. Vysbinsky. 1 appreciate very much the r>.clarations of the representative of the United States of America and of the representatives of the other countries which have been mentioned. 1 am anxious to see the eIimination of all quarrels betw:een the great Soviet Union and Great Britain) and 1 am glad that this thing has been discussed as it has been. However) il dûs is to be embodied ina statement by the President, 1 am concerned not merely with the final statement; 1 am more concemed with the other statements that 1 understand· it is giving effect to, and any final statement representing the consensus of opinion that you may make. 1 could not follow the translations very weIl, and 1 would like to have an opportunity of seeing the authentic translation of Mr. Vyshinsky's statement. To that end l 'Would ask for an adjournment for the office to give it to me, and 1 promise that we will not keep you waiting too long. grande je cutée tions une seulement encore auxquels, porter exprimant l'opinion se bien suivre pouvoir authenti,que ce mettre tion; trpp longtemps.

1 am most anxious ta accommodatemembets of the Council, individual members. The representative of the plus membres Mr. VYSHINSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated tram Russian): 1 should like ta worm theCouneil that 1 have just handed the English text of my statement ta Mr. Bevin, and 1 should like ta explain that tbis text is in entire accord with Mf. Stettinius's draft, discussed by severa! members Qf the Coooeil yest~rday.

Then it May be more satisfactory, in the circumstances, to adjourn for a time. Mr. BEVIN (United KingdQm): 1 have ta coilllÎder whether thi'l is acceptable ta me in the light of Mr. Vyshinsky's statement whÏch preceded the resolution. 1 can follow the dec1aratians of the other members of the Council, which 1 have either read in the Journal or followed in English tonight, but if 1 could have the declaration just prior ta t..~e resolutian, 1 should like to be able ta read it. 1 regard it as impartant.

Und'..;r those circumstances, 1 think that that is qU7.CC a reasonable proposal of the representative of the 'United Kingdom. 1 can assure members of the Couneil that there will not be a longer period of adjournment than is absolutely necessary. 1 will summon members of the Council the moment that it is possible to resume.-Half an hour, 1 should say, might make it possible for the translation ta be secured, and for Mr. Bevin ta feel that he is then in a position to be able to returnJ:o the Coooeil table. The PRESID~NT: 1 should like, in the fust instance, to welcome the Greek Foreign Mi."Ùster ta the Council. This is the first occasion that 1 acknowledge the presencè of that very distin- guished gentleman. We appreciate suchco- operation and help as heis able ta offer to our proceedings.• The,gentleman will realize that.1 now,·invitehim officially tQ take such part as he would wish in theproceedings. , It is also the desire of my country that this unhappy incident in the relations between our- selves and the Union of Soviet Socialist Repub- lies should be finally closed, and that the unity of action between our two great States and the members of the Security Council as a whole shm.ùd bemai1.1tainedandstrengthen.ed.This controversy between our two great nations has now been closed. 1 hope that we shall all l'e- member the great efforts of Greece in the Allied cause, and the tremendous sacrifices she has made. 1 hope that Greece will now he able ta devote all her attention to reconstruction and the creation of a stable democracy. 1 should Iike to thank Ml'. Vyshinsky for bis conciliatory efforts, and 1 should like· ta thank yau, Mr. President, and the ather members of the Counci1 for the help they have given and the patience with which they listened ta our trying oratory. " Three great Allies have fought together. Per- haps the ventilation of 01ll" difficuIties at the fust meetings of the Security Council rilay rep- resent a s!tuation in which we have removed misunde1Standing. If.that is sa, these fust meet- ings will have meant that we have built better than we knew. 1 am. quite content that the statement drafted by Ml'. Stettinius and adopted br Ml'. Vyshin- sky be incorporated in a presidentiaI statement without a formal resolution. ."The PRESIDENT: In regard to the statements that have been made both by the representative of the Soviet IInion, and the representative of the United Kingdom, and also the statement made by the representative of the United States, 1 think 1 now can correctIy iriterpret what may be the wish of this Council regarding a state- ment that it would wish the Chair to make in regard ta this ma,tter that has engaged our at- tention. ! sought at an earlier hour of this session ta interpret the feelings of the Council, and while ~ feel that 1 may not possibly have expressed those terms exactIy as the Council might .have wished, 1 will be very happy to !ubstitutç. 1 will not pursue further the sugges.. Mr. BEVIN (United 'Kingdom): Then it is this document, Mr. Stettinius' document?

It is the statement and the special features and principles that are asseciated with the statements made by Mr. Vyshinsky, Mr. Bevin, and Mr. Stettinius. Mr. BEVIN (United Kingdom): No, no. Pardon me. The PRESIDENT: Sa that no misunderstanding will arise, 1 will àsk Mr. Bevin jlIDt what he actually wished in regard ta this statement. Mr. BEVIN (United Kingdom): 1 understand that you now withdraw the statement that you made at the beginning.

That is correct. Mr. BEVIN (Unj.ted Kingdom): And you substitute this statement prepared by Mr. Stettinius and Mr. Vyshinsky. May 1 respectfully suggest that you use the phrase that "in the light of what has transpired, 1 find that fuis text more suitably represents the feelings, the ,consensus of opinion, of t'he Council."

That is exactly what 1 wished ta have. 1 wish to say that certain of the behaviour has not been as decorous as it should be. 1 want all of those who attend these meetings to under- stand the solemn and serious aspects of all mat- ters that are considered here. We dp expect that the behaviour of thé people who come to these meetings will at least be,in keepin::; with the im- portance of the occasion. Mr. RIAz (Egypt): May we hear the declara- tian which has been prepared by Mr. Stettinius ,andby Mr. Vyshinsky? Mr. VYSHINSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated from Russian): 1 should like to speak followiIig the President. .

That will be quite all right. This· is the statement which 1 suggest might be substituted for the statement 1 made earlier in the evening:, . 1 feel weshould take note of the declarations made before the Security Council by therepresentatives of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, tl;J.e United Kingdom. and Mr. VYSBINSKY (Union of·Soviet Socialist Republics) (translated {rom Russian): In addition to what has already been said, 1 consider . it necessary to point out that the position of the Soviet delegation and its point. of view on the substance of the question of the situation in Greece, which was examined in, the Security Council in a number of meetings,:are sufficiently well known and have been sufficiently set forth and justified. Nevertheless, the Soviet delegation, guided by a spirit of co-operation and the desire to ensure unity of action in the Security Council, is prepared to agree to that text ot the President's statement which Mr. Stettinius put forward yesterday. The Soviet delegation considers it possible not to insist on a formaI decision of the Security Council, confining itself to a statement to be made by the President of the Security Counci1. Inasmùch as this statement should not relate to the substance of the question, it is now merely a ~atter of its containing no rèference to the fact . that the situation created in Greece by the presence of British troops endangers peace and security, or to the necessity for the immediate ~ithdrawaI of British troops from Greece. The Soviet delegation is .pI'epared to accept such a proposaI, in view of the fact that it does ,not . contain any contrary statements. In conclusion, 1 express the hope that the relations between the Soviet Union and Great Britain will develop in the direction of the strengthening and growth of friendship and cooperation in the interests of both countries and of an the nations united in the new, young United Nations Organization. Mr. RENDIS (Greece) (translated {rom French): We accept the text presented to the Council and we are glad to see harmony restored between 'two great Powers, both of whom have for centuries taken a very great interest·in my country and towards whom wé feel correspondingly grateful. This agreement strengthens the United Nations and, on the other hand, gives -the greatest hope to Greece for its recovery and forits future. ' , 1 thank an the members of' the CounéIl' for their support, and 1 thank the représentative of the United Kingdom for his touching reference to the services of my country in the Allied cause <and to the sacrifices made by the Greek people. ' ThePRÈSIDENT:. lunderstand now that it W'oùldbe the wishof the Councilthat we should "proceedto the nextbusiness. . ELEVENTH MEETING 47. Communiqué The Security Council held a private meeting on 7 February 1946, at which it considered the procedure ta be followed in dealing with the items at present on its agenda and further items proposed for the agenda. TWELFTH MEETING Held at Church House, Westminster, London, on Thursday, 7 February 1946, at 5 p.m. President: Mr. N. J. O. MAKIN (Australia) Present: The representatives of the following countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt~ France, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Union of Soviet Socialist Repuplics, United Kingdom, United States of America. .48. Provisional agenda 1. Adoption of the agenda. 2. Letter from the Head of the Ukrainian SSR delegation to the President of the Security Council dated 21 January 1946}' 3. Letter from the Head of the Yugoslav dele- gation to the Executive Secretary (un- dated).2 4. Letter from the Heads of the Lebanese and Syrian delegations to the Secretary-General. dated 4 February 1946 (document S/5)/' 5. Report by the Chairman of the Committee of Experts on thealterations made by the Committee in the provisional rtÙes of pro- cedure of the Security Council (document 8/6) .' 49. Adoption of the agenda 50. Letter from the Hëad of the Ukrainian SSR delegation

The second item on the agenda is the letter from the Head of the , delegation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Re-