Security Council 4.

1. Second formal meeting of the Security Council was held at three
p.m. today. Discussion of items 7, 9, 10 and 13 of the Provisional
Agenda (see report of Preparatory Commission, Pages 24-25 [1]) was
deferred to later meetings.

2. Item 8. The Council adopted the directive to the Military Staff
Committee proposed by the Preparatory Commission [and] agreed that
the Staff Committee should meet in London by 1st February. Russian
doubts as to whether its Representatives (the names of which
Vyshinsky announced) could reach London before 3rd February, were
met by the adoption of a suggestion that if the Russian
Representatives could not reach London by 1st February the Meeting
of the Staff Committee could be adjourned for a few days.

Vyshinsky undertook to do everything possible to ensure their
arrival by 1st February.

3. I then drew the attention of the Council to the Iranian letter
of 19th January [2], the Soviet letter of 21St January, the
Ukrainian letter of 21St January [3] and the Soviet letter of 24th
January [4], commenting on the Iranian letter. I asked whether
there was any objection to the matters raised in the first three
letters being placed on the Council's Agenda. As no formal
objection was raised, these matters were placed on the Agenda with
the understanding that they would be dealt with at the next
meeting of the Council on 28th January.

4. During a short discussion Vyshinsky asked for confirmation of
his understanding that when the Iranian question was dealt with
the Soviet Delegation would not be precluded from presenting its
view that the Iranian appeal lacked grounds and should not be
considered by the Council. I said that when the matter was
discussed at the next meeting it would be for the Council to
decide in what way it would wish to deal with this item and the
Delegation would have the opportunity of moving whatever
resolution it desired. Mr. Bevin stated that the United Kingdom
Government welcomed the opportunity of making a full statement re
Greece and the position in Indonesia. He said he was 'tired' of
hearing constant Russian complaints about Greece and was in favour
of full discussion of the matter. The Netherlands Representative
said that his Government had no objection to the question of
Indonesia being placed on the Agenda.

5. Mr. Bevin also said that when a complainant Country was not a
member of the Security Council it should have the right to be
heard by the Council. It was agreed that Iran, Greece and Ukraine
should be invited to attend.

6. Before the Meeting closed, I informed the Council that a letter
had been received from the Yugoslav Delegation asking, on behalf
of the Government of Albania that Albania should be admitted as a
Member of the United Nations. Russia and Poland indicated that
they would support this application but as the letter had not been
translated or distributed further consideration of this matter was
deferred until the next Meeting of the Council.

7. On the whole I am well satisfied with the result of today's
meeting. The three situations brought to the attention of the
Security Council have been included in the Agenda and will be
discussed. Countries not Members of the Security Council have been
invited to attend when matters in which they are concerned are
under consideration. Though Bevin showed his resentment at recent
Russian criticism regarding Greece there were some joking asides
between Vyshinsky and Bevin which relieved the tension.

8. There is no further information today about the Secretary
General.