General
1. The fundamental principle which should guide the Delegation is the belief that, in spite of its limitations, the United Nations is the best available instrument for development of a system of international collaboration and, eventually, of collective security on a basis of universal participation. It is particularly important at this time to make clear that, although the Canadian Government believes that the North Atlantic Alliance is essential to security and in no way incompatible with the United Nations Charter, Canada has no intention of doing anything to weaken the United Nations. On the contrary, the Canadian Government wishes to strengthen the United Nations by (a) encouraging it to continue the use of procedures of conciliation with which it has already had considerable success, (b) discouraging the acceptance by the United Nations of tasks which are beyond its present competence, (c) restoring the prestige of the Assembly by improving its efficiency and by reducing the time devoted to propaganda attacks and counter-attacks, and (d) seeking to improve its methods within the framework of the present Charter rather than by risking its existence in futile efforts to alter the Charter at the present early stage of its experience. Selection of Officers and Elections to Councils

2. In the selection of officers for the Assembly and of candidates for the Councils the Delegation should use its influence to secure the choice of competent persons and states giving primary consideration as a basis of selection to ability to make a serious contribution to the work of the United Nations, but making due allowances for the representation of geographical areas.

3. It is particularly necessary that states should be chosen for the Security Council on the basis of their ability to accept the responsibilities which are given to them. For this reason the Delegation should support India for the seat which has in the past been accorded to a Commonwealth country and which Canada will be vacating. For the Latin American seat, to replace Argentina, it is Rely that the Latin American states will choose Ecuador. It would be unfortunate, however, if this area were to be represented by two weak states, Ecuador and Cuba, which was elected last year; and the Delegation should support any responsible move to secure the nomination of one of the larger states, Brazil, Mexico, or Chile. The Ukrainian S.S.R. will retire this year, and there may be a movement to transfer to a non-Soviet state the seat usually accorded to a Soviet satellite. The Delegation should support this movement only if it is backed by the United Kingdom and the United States and has a good prospect of succeeding, as a defeat would be harmful to the prestige of the Western powers. The Delegation should not, however, vote for Bielo-Russia since its election would constitute further international recognition of the fictitious independence of the constituent Soviet republics.

4. In view of the importance of the work being done by the Economic and Social Council, Canada should be a candidate for this Council.¹⁵ The Delegation should support the candidature of Pakistan. Support might also be given to Yugoslavia, if circumstances warrant, in view of the open conflict on economic matters between Yugoslavia and the Cominform countries.

Political and Security Questions

5. Reports of the Conciliation Commission for Palestine and of the United Nations Commissions for the Balkans will be presented. The Conciliation Commission is to make recommendations for a permanent international regime for the Jerusalem area and for the protection of holy places in all of Palestine. The Delegation should use its best efforts to ensure that the arrangements suggested should give adequate protection to the established rights and interests of all religious groups and preserve effectively the sacred nature of all holy places. Support should be given to any responsible proposals to continue in its present or an altered form the Balkan Commission and to continue the mediation efforts initiated during the third session of the Assembly. Support should also be given to the retention of the Korean Commission, with or without changes in its terms of reference, provided strong reasons for a different course are not made by the Commission itself or do not appear during the course of the Assembly.

6. The applications of fourteen states for admission to the United Nations are now outstanding. The non-Soviet states oppose the admission of five of these (Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Roumania, Outer Mongolia). The Soviet Union has vetoed the admission of the other nine (Austria, Ceylon, Finland, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Portugal, Nepal). The Canadian Delegation should oppose a "horse trade" under which all fourteen states would be admitted, since Outer Mongolia is clearly not independent and we have joined in charges against the other four states of having violated their peace treaties or of refusing to cooperate with the U.N. Commission on the Balkans. If some or all of the Western candidates would accept non-voting participation in the work of the Assembly, the Canadian Delegation could support responsible proposals to grant this.

7. Two subjects dealt with in the spring meeting of the Third Session will again be on the agenda: the disposition of the Italian Colonies and the observance in Bulgaria and Hungary of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Delegation should be guided by the general instructions on these subjects approved in April. It should support any just agreement on the Italian Colonies arrived at by the parties principally concerned and which is likely to secure a sufficient majority to bring a satisfactory settlement. Support should be given to any general condemnation of the violation by Hungary, Bulgaria and Roumania of the guarantees in the peace treaties of human rights, but care should be taken to avoid irresponsible or impracticable actions which would do no more than create dangerous precedents for undue interference by the United Nations in matters essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of a state.

8. In the discussion of atomic energy and the control of conventional armaments the Delegation should seek to avoid a debate which would provide the Soviet Union with an opportunity for making propaganda and securing the support of countries disposed to a neutral attitude on these questions. While making clear that the Soviet Union has prevented agreement in the Atomic Energy Commission and the Commission for Conventional Armaments, the Delegation should show no reluctance to continue efforts to find a solution.

9. If, as seems probable, the question of China is raised in the Assembly, the Delegation should support condemnation of Soviet interference in that country provided adequate evidence is produced to support the charges, but it should avoid any commitment to withhold recognition from the Communist regime or to give material support to the Nationalists.

Constitutional Questions

10. The Delegation should favour the continuation of the Interim Committee for an indefinite period and should seek to strengthen it by giving it useful work to do. It should also support the recommendations of the Special Committee on Procedures on which Canada was represented and any further sensible proposals which may be proposed to expedite the work of the Assembly and it should seek to have as many of these as possible adopted at the forthcoming session. The Canadian Government considers it important that the annual regular session of the Assembly should not last for more than two months. The proposals of the Secretary-General for a United Nations Field Service which represent a modification of a previous more extensive plan for a United Nations Guard, should be approved after careful scrutiny in Committee to see if improvements are necessary.

Financial Questions

11. The Delegation should, as in previous years, encourage the efficient and economical administration of the United Nations, scrutinize the budget in order to limit expenditure, and oppose the adoption of proposals which would needlessly increase the costs of operation. It should try to secure a reconsideration of the allocation of contributions to states which, because of post-war dislocation, received low assessments, provided that a new allocation is not likely to result in a higher assessment for Canada. It should oppose any further reduction this year of the assessment of the United States and any increase in that of Canada.

Economic and Social Questions

12. The principal economic subject will be the proposals approved by the Economic and Social Council for the economic development of underdeveloped countries. The Delegation should examine these proposals carefully to make certain that they are efficient and practical, and it should seek further instructions before voting for any proposal which would imply a commitment by Canadians to contribute to the scheme. In the discussions on this subject and in the general consideration of the work of the functional agencies the Delegation should support any moves for the better coordination of the agencies, provided that schemes for coordination do not permit those countries which are not members of the agencies to secure indirect influence over their operation.

13. In discussing the convention on freedom of information the Delegation should be guided by the general instructions to the Delegation at the spring meeting of the Third Session. It should agree to a proposal to abandon the convention on freedom of information in favour of the insertion of a section on this subject in the draft Covenant of Human Rights, if, as is expected, this is proposed by the United States and supported by the United Kingdom and other respectable states.

14. The Delegation should firmly and factually refute the charges which the Communist states are expected to make of alleged discriminations practised by Canada and other states against immigrating labour, and should defend the work of the International Refugee Organization,

15. As the Assembly proceeds, questions will arise in regard both to subjects mentioned in this Memorandum and others on the agenda, concerning which the Delegation will require guidance. Frequent communication should be maintained with Ottawa, and, whenever possible, the Government should be acquainted with all proposals placed before the Assembly and with the action the Delegation proposes to take.¹⁶

L.B. PEARSON

¹⁵Au Cabinet, Pearson a cependant dbcrit la position du Canada connote 6tant "that of not seeking, but of willingness to accept election if urged to do so- (Conclusions du Cabinet, le 13 septembre 1949). At Cabinet, Pearson instead described Canada's position as "that of not seeking, but of willingness to accept election if urged to do so" (Cabinet Conclusions, September 13, 1949).

¹⁶Approuvé par le Cabinet, le 13 septembre 1949. Approved by Cabinet on September 13, 1949.