speaker is the Delegate and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, Señor Parra Pérez.

Mr. PARRA PÉREZ (speaking in French; English version as delivered by interpreter follows): Mr. Chairman, I would first of all like to associate myself with the deserved praise which has been given to the officers of the Committee and I would more particularly like to thank the President, Dr. Lleras Camargo, the Rapporteur, Dr. Wellington Koo, and Senator Vandenberg for their valuable and decisive contributions to the work of the Committee.

I would like to renew the expression of the whole-hearted adherence of the Delegation of my country to the formulas of the Charter concerning regional agreements and their coordination with the general International Organization. Through difficult negotiations we have endeavored to fulfil two main purposes-to preserve on the one hand the working of regional systems and, on the other hand, to maintain the supreme authority of the world Organization. It had to be possible, and it has proved to be possible to conciliate and harmonize the one with the other.

The Delegate of Venezuela has added its efforts to those of the other delegations more particularly with a view to inserting the inter-American system into the Charter. It was a question of safeguarding a whole tradition which was dear to our continent, that of a living organism and a very active one, the latest development of which was realized in the recent Mexico conference and has shown in a very conclusive manner its power and its dynamic qualities. I have already said elsewhere, and I do not think it is useless to recall it here, that we did nothing in Mexico without taking into account the need of putting our regional system into gear with the great world Organization. As far as I am concerned, I should say that I cannot conceive this system as something isolated. I see in it rather one of the cogs, and a very essential one, of the general mechanism for the establishment and defense of universal peace. Our aim is not solely the maintenance of good relations between the American republics. We are convinced that inter-American agreements can contribute in the future, as they have in the past, to the development of bonds of friendship with countries of the other continents, and therefore, to world peace and security.

It is in the interests of all that any conflicts which may arise should be solved as quickly as possible in a satisfactory manner, and no one doubts that regional systems are most appropriate to this effect. I feel certain that experience will consecrate a complete harmony in the cordinated working of the world Organization and regional systems, and more particularly of the inter-American system.

As a representative of a state which belongs to the latter, as well as in my capacity as member of the community of the United Nations, I can say that Venezuela will devote all its strength to the success of the Organization which we are here building.

PRESIDENT: Thank you, Sir. The Chair recognizes the Delegate of Egypt.

HASSAN Pasha (speaking in French; English version as delivered by interpreter follows): The Egyptian Delegation would like to pay tribute to the efforts of this Committee under the able leadership of its Chairman and its Rapporteur. It would also like to state

clearly its attitude in connection with the text adopted by the Committee.

The Egyptian Delegation always thought that close regional cooperation between states would help the new Organization in maintenance of peace and security and would promote economic, intellectual, and social progress. The brilliant results of the Pan American Union, the close cooperation and fraternity shown by the Arab states, even before the signature of the Cairo act set up a pan-Arab Union, the schemes for the European Union-all these things seem to work in favor of the insertion in the Charter of the principle of regional cooperation.

The Egyptian Delegation has been glad to find in the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals a reference to regional agreement and the possibility of harmonizing them with the new Organization, working toward the same goal. In the amendments it presented, the Egyptian Delegation underlined the economic, social, and intellectual character of regional cooperation and the possible role they might play in the settlement of local disputes, which would bring results fully as satisfactory for the settlement of regional questions as those we hope to obtain from the Security Council for the settlement of international disputes for the maintenance of international peace and security.

The Egyptian Delegation asked that all allusions to military alliances and pacts of mutual assistance should be disconnected from the text on regional agreements. They fully understand that countries which were victims of the Axis want to maintain their military alliances, but they think that in view of the different nature of regional agreements and of their provisional character, these military alliances should be mentioned in a special chapter of the Charter; that the allusion in Chapter XII for the prevention of any new aggression by enemy states should not be in the chapter on regional agreements but should go into the chapter on transitional measures, since these are of a purely temporary character.

The Egyptian Delegation had also proposed a definition of regional agreement which underlined their permanent character and, as in the same words as the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals, had to depend on immediate geographical vicinity. I am sorry that the texts which have been adopted, after long negotiations taking place outside the Committee, have shown traces of regrettable confusion and, more particularly, that they contain no allusion to regional cooperation in the economic, intellectual, and social spheres.

In these circumstances the Egyptian Delegation makes full reservations on these points.

PRESIDENT: I want to thank the Egyptian Minister for his contribution.

The next speaker will be the Chairman of the French Delegation, Monsieur Paul-Boncour.

Mr. PAUL-BONCOUR (speaking in French; translation follows): Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, My Dear Colleagues, in the name of the French Delegation, I want to pay tribute to the work that has been done and to express our public and grateful adherence to the text now submitted for your consideration. I would like to thank the President of the Committee, Señor Lleras Camargo, and my old Geneva companion, Dr. Wellington Koo, for their help. I

would also like to express my gratitude to all the nations of America who wanted this amendment in order to safeguard their fecund Pan American Union, which for years has prevented or avoided war in your continent.

I would more particularly like to express my gratitude to Senator Vandenberg and the Delegation of the United States who have helped so much in the drafting of the text now submitted and in securing its acceptance. This text makes a clear distinction between the prevention and the repression of aggression.

As far as prevention of aggression is concerned, it vests in the Security Council the task of making the necessary provision and taking whatever measures are necessary. It renders obligatory the authorization of the Council for the measures which the states concerned would take, with an exception in the case of the application of treaties for the prevention of fresh aggressions by our present enemies. And this exception will endure until the signatories think that the Security Council is in a position to take over the task.

But as far as repression of aggression is concerned-and that is a form of legitimate individual or collective defense-the text indicates the right of the signatories of regional understandings or treaties of mutual assistance to act immediately without awaiting the execution of the measures taken by the Security Council. They will naturally have to report to the Security Council what they have done.

Gentlemen, let me say what a great relief this amendment has brought to the French Delegation, and, with them, to all the French people. And for this reason, I expressed a moment ago my gratitude to all those who have helped in this work.

After all, you see, I belong to a country which has been three times invaded in less than a century. The last war has left it, like so many other invaded countries of Europe, devastated, shaken, destroyed. Their distress rises as an appeal to the nations untouched by war to persevere in the common task.

My country has complete confidence in the system of collective security, in the Security Council, in the Charter which we are making. The report which you unanimously accepted yesterday—I would like to thank you again for that-testifies to the faith I have personally in this system of collective security and in its efficacy. But whatever precautions may be taken in the various committees in order to assure swift and effective action by the Security Council, it is impossible to prevent delays resulting from its meetings, its discussion, from the transport from countries often distant of material and men assigned to those who are attacked. And this, coupled with the lightning rapidity which aggression in modern war is capable of, may defeat-still more in any future war if that unhappily should occur may subject a country to the risk of death.

Let us not forget that in 1914, had it not been for the prompt arrival of the valiant British Army, our left wing would have been turned at Charleroi and the war finished on August 24. We do not forget how German ranks poured through as soon as the lines of Belgium and the Meuse were forced, nor the bewildered crowds fleeing from an invaded capital, nor all the atrocious disorder which remains an unforgettable memory for those who have witnessed it. This is why we have sought and will continue to seek through pacts of mutual assistance and regional agreements-fully in conformity,

of course, with the governing principles of the Charter-the means of taking action on the very day, the very hour or minute when brutal aggression is committed-aggression which can be made all the more deadly by the speed of technical devices.

Admittedly, we know that in the end the strength of the United Nations will prevail. This must inspire us with a deep confidence that the piling up of material and men will unfailingly beat down the lone aggressor which has dared to provoke the war. But, in the meantime, we don't want to leave any more parts of our territory in the hands of an aggressor whose brutal attack has succeeded in paralyzing momentarily our means of defense. We want to seek in those regional agreements which the amendment leaves open to usprovided they conform to the principles of the Charter-in treaties of mutual assistance which must likewise be in conformity-the means of acting forthwith without having to await the execution of the measures taken by the Security Council to protect us from the experience which has made us shed our blood three times in less than a century.

This is why I thank the fourth Committee for having assured us these means, and I hope that the third Commission will give its approval to these conclusions.

PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. Paul-Boncour.

There are no other delegates who have signified their desire to address the Commission. Is there any further discussion?

If there is not, the Chair will entertain a motion for the adoption in full of the report.

Mr. VANDENBERG: I move the report be approved.

PRESIDENT: Senator Vandenberg has moved the adoption of the report. Is there any second?

Mr. PAUL-BONCOUR (speaking in French; English version as delivered by interpreter follows): I support Senator Vandenberg's

motion.

Mr. KERNO (Czechoslovakia): I second the motion.

PRESIDENT: Will those in favor of the motion to adopt the report of Committee 4 in full raise their hands? Any against? The motion has been unanimously adopted.

The Executive Officer has an announcement to make.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER: The adoption of this section of the report of the fourth Committee in all probability will conclude the major portion of its work. It may prove necessary, in case there is a return of a corrected text from the Coordination Committee, for this Committee to be reconvened. In the absence of that, this probably will be the last meeting which we shall need to ask you to attend for the fourth Committee.

We have not yet been able to make plans for the next two meetings of the Commission, that is to say, the reports of the first and second Committees. It is our hope that the second Committee will be able to report to you on Monday next, but in any event, you will receive appropriate notification as soon as arrangements have been completed. PRESIDENT: That completes the agenda for today, and the meeting stands adjourned.

Verbatim Minutes of Third Meeting of Commission III, June 18

Doc. 1088, June 19

PRESIDENT (Mr. Morgenstierne, Norway): Fellow Delegates, the third session of the third Commission has been duly opened.

I want, first of all, to introduce to you my colleagues on Commission III: the Rapporteur, His Excellency Celso R. Velázquez, Ambassador of Paraguay; the Assistant Secretary-General, Ambassador Julián R. Cáceres of Honduras, and the Executive Officer, Mr. Grayson Kirk.

This is the Commission which deals with the all important Security Council. We have endeavored to organize and empower this Council in such a way that it can act swiftly and forcefully to prevent and, if necessary, to put out another world conflagration. It is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to mention this to the members of the Commission. I have taken the liberty to say it to our friends and guests who are present here, the representatives of that world-wide public opinion, who we know are following the deliberation of this Conference with the deepest interest and hopes.

At the previous two meetings of Commission III we have discussed, and unanimously approved, the reports of Committees 3 and 4, dealing respectively with Enforcement Arrangements and Regional Arrangements. Today there is before our Commission the report of Committee 2 dealing with Peaceful Settlement. This, I need hardly say, is a tremendously important subject. It goes to the heart of our endeavors to settle, in a spirit of conciliation and peace, differences that may arise between the members of the new world Organization. It is our common first line of defense; it is our common effort to make unnecessary, if possible, the use of force among the great family of nations. The members and officers of Committee 2 have worked hard and diligently for many long weeks. The Committee has held 15 meetings. A large part of their work was accomplished in several subcommittees of the Committee. These held a total of 16 meetings. The Committee examined, in all, 55 amendments. The final text which you will hear presently represents an amalgamation of many of these amendments. Today, the Rapporteur is presenting to you his excellent and, I will add, unanimously adopted report.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the membership and the officers of Committee 2, quite particularly its Chairman, His Excellency José Serrato, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, its Rapporteur, Mr. G. P. Arkadiev, of the Delegation of the Soviet Union, and its Secretary, Mr. Leland M. Goodrich. I will ask the Chairman, His Excellency José Serrato, to stand up in order that we may thank him for his work. In accordance with the request of the Committee, I will ask the Rapporteur, Mr. Arkadiev, and also the Secretary, Mr. Leland M. Goodrich, to take their seats on the rostrum. I will ask the Rapporteur kindly to read the report.

RAPPORTEUR (Mr. Arkadiev, Soviet Union): Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, by the decision taken in plenary session on the organization of the work of the Conference (Doc. 42, P/10 (a)), Committee III/2 was assigned the following functions: