CAB129-53 — Page 202

Page 202 (b) It is from a threat to withdraw rather than from actual withdrawal that we should hope to derive benefit. But it seems unwise to base our policy on a bluff which may be called.

(c) The whole policy of withdrawal is not only publicly identified with the actions of the Soviet Government, but is objectionable as conflicting

with the view of the United Nations as a forum in which differences may and should be discussed.

7. Recommendations

Although the manœuvre of withdrawal is distasteful and its effectiveness cannot be gauged with certainty, we must be prepared to consider the possibility of threatening or using it, as an extreme course, if an attempt is made to discuss matters vitally touching our colonial position. I therefore recommend that the leader of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Assembly should have prior authority to threaten to withdraw our representative from any such discussion. This authority should, however, be given on condition that the threat would not be carried out without prior reference to London, except in extremis.

Foreign Office, S.W.1,

8th July, 1952.

A. E.

ANNEX A

BASIC ISSUES

(a) The right of the United Nations to discuss the political affairs of non-self- governing territories.

(b) The principle of accountability to the United Nations, as exemplified in the following forms:-

(i) the right of the United Nations to make, or attempt to make, recommen- dations on any subject relating to particular non-self-governing territories;

(ii) the right of petition in relation to non-self-governing territories; (iii) the granting of oral hearings to persons with complaints regarding non-

self-governing territories (as distinct from trust territories);

(iv) the sending of Visiting Missions to non-self-governing territories;

(v) the holding of plebiscites in non-self-governing or trust territories except

with the consent of the Administering Authority.

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(THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT)

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CONFIDENTIAL