Cablegram 102A LONDON, 25 August 1945, 12.05 a.m.
SECRET
U.N.R.R.A. vote on resolutions for Expansion of Control Committee
taken today.
Resolution appointing Canada and France carried unanimously.
Australian resolution for the inclusion of Australia, Brazil and
Yugoslavia was carried by 29 to 7 but owing to the Soviet voting
against the resolution it was, under Article 8B, declared not
carried.
The two votes followed each other and as the first had been
carried unanimously, when ours was called I contented myself by
moving it and saying that I would not repeat what I had already
said in the Council but I reserved my right to speak if there was
any discussion. No one spoke but when the vote was taken the
Soviet voted against. The United States Delegate abstained and
subsequently stated he had done so on the ground of the Soviets'
opposition.
After the vote I made a somewhat crisp statement with regard to
the Soviet action. Some two hours later at the close of the
session the Russian delegate made a statement with regard to what
I had said, to which I replied.
As this clash with the Russians caused considerable excitement I
am sending you en clair the shorthand note of the four statements.
[1]
On the whole I think the episode probably did good and you see in
the Soviet statement they ask for their vote against to be changed
to abstention and indicate that the only reason for their action
was the absence of instructions. [2]
[AA : A1066, ER45/6/12]