Armament > Conference for the control of the international trade in arms, munitions and implements of war

Document 24
EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE THIRTIETH SESSION
OF THE COUNCIL
Held at Geneva from August 2Q)ih to October yrd, 1924.
FOURTH MEETING
Held on Tuesday, September qth, 1924, at 3.30 p.m.
1. Invitation to the Government of the United States to send a Representative to attend
the Meetings of the Third Committee of the Assembly.
M. Benes read the following report:
My colleagues will no doubt recall that, in my twofold capacity as Acting President of the
Council and Rapporteur for disarmament questions, I had, on August 14th, 1924, ventured to
consult them, through the Secretary-General, with regard to the advisability of furnishing the
United States Government an opportunity of expressing its views on the question of the control
of the international trade in arms at such time as this question should be discussed by the members
of the Third Committee of the Assembly. The Members of the Council having unanimously
expressed a favourable opinion with regard to this proposal, the Secretary-General, on August
18th, sent a letter in my name to the Secretary of State at Washington setting forth the views
held by the Council on this matter. In this letter, after referring to the assistance afforded by two
successive United States Ministers at Berne in the work of the Temporary Mixed Commission
on the Control of the International Trade in Arms, the Secretary-General invited the United
States Government to send a representative to be present at the discussions of the Third Committee
of the Assembly on this question.
The reply from the United States Government to this invitation was received at the Secre¬
tariat on August 30th.
I feel convinced that my colleagues on the Council will, like myself, appreciate the spirit of
co-operation shown in this reply. The Assembly has always considered it to be of great importance
that the question of the control in the international trade in arms should be discussed in close
touch with the United States. I would therefore suggest that this report, as well as the following
letter from the United States Minister in Berne dated August 29th, 1924, should be communicated
to the Assembly.
2. Letter from the United States Minister in Berne, August 29th, 1924.
“I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your note of August 18th and to inform
you that I did not fail to transmit immediately to the Secretary of State the communi¬
cation from the Council of the League of Nations inviting my Government to have a
representative present at the meetings of the Third Committee of the forthcoming Assem¬
bly which is to discuss the question of the control of the trade in arms.
“I am now in receipt of a reply from the Secretary of State desiring me to express,
on behalf of my Government, its cordial appreciation of the courtesy shown by the
Council in extending this invitation.
"The Government of the United States has been happy to be represented at the
meetings of the Temporary Mixed Commission and its sub-commission. Its views have
been fully explained on those occasions, and it is felt that they could not be usefully
amplified by having a representative present at the meetings of the Third Committee.
“It is observed from the invitation that the Third Committee will discuss this matter
with a view to consider whether the draft Convention affords sufficient basis to convoke