INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS GROUP WEEKLY SUMMARY NO. 19

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01090A000100020033-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 13, 2000
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: May 10, 1949
• Content Type: PERRPT

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INTERN.ATIOMAL ORGANIZATIONS GROUP
"TEEKLY SUT>"MARY NO. 19
For week ending 10 May 1949
The International Week
Er a + ('."~- i o
Volume 11
The raising of the Berlin blockade and the calling of a
Council of Foreign Vinisters meeting on the German question con-
tinued to dominate the international scene. Western European
agreement to establish a Council of Europe was a step of major
sit?rtifioance toward the future unification of !",estern Europs.
In the UN1the Politioal Committees recommended admission of
Israel (33-11-13) and lifting, the ban on diplomatic missions in
Spain (25-16-16) but the latter will have difficulty in secur-
ing plenary approval. Successful conclusion of the preliminary
Dutch-Indonesian conference in Batavia augurs well for eventual
solution of the Indonesian problem at the forthcoming Hague
conference.
GA DEVELOPTIIENTS
Bevin-Sforza llan or ost onement only likely colonies al-
terna ves. The Bevin Sfo za plan for the former Italian colonies
may r arely secure General Assembly approval this session,
but only if it obtains the support of the entire Latin American
bloc and at least a few Asiatic states. If this support fails to
materialize, no other solution except postponement stands any
chance of GA approval.
The Bevin-Sforza agreement stems from British recognition
that UK trusteeship over Cyrenaica could not prevail without some
conciliatory gesture toward the pro-Italian bloc and corresponding
Italian appreciation that the alternatives to the UK proposal
might be even less favorable to Italy. The resulting "deal" pro-
vides for Italian trusteeship over Somaliland, partition of Eritrea
between Ethiopia and the Sudan (with special status for Asmara and
Massawa) and British trusteeship over Cyrenaica. Tripolitania
would be placed under Italian trusteeship after 1951; meanwhile
the UK, assisted by an advisory council, would remain in interim
control. Although initial Latin American reaction was cautious,
the pro-Italian LA delegates will probably support the proposal."
If, however.. their alignment ;s not solid, and if a few additional
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Asiatic votes cannot also be secured, the proposal could not pass
over the combined opposition of the Soviet and Asiatic blocs,.
Of the resolutions now before the GA, independence has the
support, of the Arab states and other former dependent areas, but
it is unlikely that even the twenty votes claimed for it actually
exist. The UK had already given up hope for approval of its orig-
inal resolution, while direct UN trusteeship -- proposed by India
and more or less in line with the Soviet suggestion -- also has
few adherents. Consequently postponement is likely, should the
Bevin-Sforza proposals fail to win GA approval.
Israeli UN membership assured. The GA Ad Hoc Political
Committee s overwhe m ng; a recommending Israeli admission
to the UN clearly forecasts favorable action in the plenary.
Israel's opponents had attempted to embarrass Tel Aviv by forcing
definite commitments on the emotional issues of international-
izing Jerusalem and repatriating refugees. Apparently the adroit
handling of the debate by Israel's UN representative plus the
lobbying; of GA President Evett convinced the majority that it was
Improper to thrash out these issues of the peace settlement in
connection with a membership application. Such doubts as were
recently engendered as to Israel's worthiness of UN membership
apparently expressed themselves largely in the form of abstentions.
These proved insufficient to defeat the resolution, blessed as it
was with the affirmative votes of both the US and USSR.
Effect on sacs ne otiatlons. In the long run the effect
of Isree 's successful g or admission to the UN should in-
crease the pressures making for ultimate settlement of remaining
disputed issues between Israel and the Arabs. Neither the ref-
ugee Issue nor the internationalization of Jerusalem is in fact
fundamental. No one seriously supposes that the Israelis will
over accept more than .a handful. of Arab refugees. Furthermore,,
Jordan has been quite ready to agree to splitting Jerusalem and
the Palestine Conciliation Commission secretariat has already
worked out a plan whereby the practical application of inter-
nationalization will be restricted to the holy sites themselves.
The most important remaining problem is that of frontier de-
limitation, but sight is often lost of the small land area
involved in this squabble. In time these issues will be settled
and, if matters continue as in the past, largely on Israel's
teJ.ms.
Indonesian debate now un13'te a. The favorable outcome of
the Satav al s w 1 pro ably preclude discussion of the
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Indonesian question by the present General Assembly. Australia
and India, sponsors of the Indonesian item, have proposed that
discussion thereof be postponed until the fall session. Unless
the Soviet bloc has determined to exploit the propaganda oppor-
tunities of the subject, the Australian-Indian proposal will
doubtless meet with little opposition.
US retrieves position on FOl Convention. After it became
clear ~ao- and o~refuse to adhere to the News
Gathering Convention in its amended form, the GA Social Committee
voted to reconsider those articles which sought to impose on
correspondents and news agencies the legal duty accurately to
report facts. Adopting a six-power compromise amendment, the
Committee transferred the substance of the objectionable portions
to the preamble where they will serve as a mere recital of moral
responsibility rather than an imposition of obligations. The
Social Committee decided to complete the News Gathering; Convention.
and transmit it to the GA with *he proviso that it sh'll not be
submitted to member states for their adhesion until the completion
of the companion Freedom of Information Convention sponsored by
the UK. The latter convention is universal in Its application
while the News Gathering Convention is restricted to correspond-
ents and news agencies. Attempts have also been made to amend
the FOX Convention to permit governments to suppress the diffusion
of false or distorted reports which undermine friendly relations
between nations. Yielding to vigorous US-UK objections, however,
the Committee finally voted to defer further action on F'OI until
the next GA session.
GA likely to re eat Committee recommendation on Spain it
is sti l dou tfu whether the GA. -w-i-17-approve the Po itrcal Com-
mittee's resolution giving UN members freedom of action on dip o-
matic relations with Spain. In a debate characterized by violent
Soviet bloc attacks on the Western Powers, the Committee quickly
rejected the anti-'.Western, anti -i raneo Polish proposal and. ap-,
proved the four-power Latin American plan favoring the return of
chiefs of missions to Madrid.. If, however, the Committee voting
line-up (25-16 with sixteen abstentions) is maintained in the
plenary, as is likely, the resolution will not secure the required
two-thirds majority.
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New Asian labor federation will check Communist or anizin
drive n Ma. Substantial progress owar s e formation of an
ant ommun.at Asian labor federation is likely as a result of
the Indore Labor Conference currently meeting under the sponsor-
ship of the India National Trade Union Congress and a 7-nation
preparatory oommittee. Plans to organize this federation and to
strengthen the non-Communist working class movement in Asia are
under consideration by labor representatives from India, China,
Ceylon, the Philippines, Indonesia, Siam, Surma, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Aided by an AFL representa-
tive, they are also considering steps to bring the regional Asian
federation into the new world labor organization projected by the
Western labor groups. Prompt action by the Asian labor forces
to establish a powerful regional labor organization will oonsti-
tute an effective brake on the renewed efforts of the World
Federation of Trade Unions and the World Federation of Democratic
Youth to expand Communist control over Asian manpower.
ECE to seek place in Point Four. The forthcoming report of
the sacra ar a o the conom c ommission for Europe to the UN
reflects two trends in relation to the Point Four Program: the
strong desire of subsidiary UN bodies to play an important role
in the program and the problems which will arise in connection
with Satellite participation. The report's proposals for setting
up fellowships, consultants, pilot demonstration projects, tech-
nical services and a "know-how" bureau foreshadow demand_sfor a
large degree of regional responsibility which may be imitated by
other UN regional economic commissions. In the l.hto,f" TUS
intentions sharply to limit Satellite participation in Point Four,
It is significant that the Eastern European countries, which would
receive the majority of these services, would be the chief bene-
ficiaries of the ECE proposals.
Revision of Intra-European trade agreement in ooffin . One
of the most i n canproblems 'ln the establishment of the OEEC
program for 1949-50 is the scheduled revision of the October 1948
Intra-European Payments and Compensation Agreement in order to
stimulate further multilateralization of European trade. The
existing Agreement has been of only limited usefulness because of
the rigid bilaterelization of ERP "conditional" aid and drawing
rights which has kept intra-European trade within artificial
channels. Moreover, the total compensations in the first four
months were only some 63 million dollars. '11hale the 1948 Agree-
ment has somewhat alleviated the problem of intra-European pay-
ments, it has not made the most effective use either of the
resources provided in the system or the cooperative possibilities
envisaged under the OEEC.
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Consequently, several proposals have been made to broaden
the 1948 Agreement in order to facilitate the restoration of a
sound multilateral European trade structure. All of these pro-
posals favor allowing some transferability of drawing rights
between the participating countries. While most-OEEC members
recognize the desirability of revising the Agreement, and all
favor ultimate multilateral trade, many of them,, particularly the
creditor nations, have strong present objections to such plans.
The UK is the chief opponent on the grounds that it must protect
its conditional aid dollar allocations which would be threatened
should debtor countries transfer their drawing rights. Such
debtor states as France fear in turn that such a plan would lead
the creditor countries to reduce their non-essential imports from
countries like France in order to protect their dollar all.oca-
tunons. Although the problem is still in the discussion s:,3 e, it
appears likely that the OEEC will agree at least to some degree
of transferability, perhaps 25-30% of the total drawing rights.
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