UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION



defer to the wishes of the majority there is no reason why that mem-
ber should be forced to exercise its veto.
  It is the view of the U.S. that this liberal construction of the vot-
ing formula is of primary importance to the successful functioning
of the Charter. Certainly no permanent member should be able to pre-
vent the functioning of the Council merely because it is unwilling to
vote on a proposition either in the affirmative or in the negative.
  In construing a basic document like the Charter the right given
to the permanent members in the voting formula should be construed
as a right subject to waiver by its non-exercise, particularly when
such a waiver cannot be regarded as prejudicial to the interests of the
Organization or to the interests of any of its members.


10 Files: US/A/C.1/37
  Minutes of Informal Meeting of 211embers Committee 1 Group'

                                   [NEW YORK,] November 4,1946.
                 VOTING IN SECURITY COUNCIL
Present: Senator Warren R. Austin        Mr. Sandifer
          Senator Connally                 Mr. Joseph Johnson
          Ambassador Herschel Johnson    Mr. Noyes
          Mr. Dulles                       Mr. Foote
          Mr. Stevenson                    Mr. Sanders
          Mr. Cohen                        Mr. Stokes
          Mr. Fahy                         Mr. Wilcox
          Mr. Ross                         Mr. Bechhoefer
  Copies of documents US/A/C.1/20 and US/A/C.1/18 were dis-
tributed to those present. Mr. Joseph Johnson read the former docu-
ment which was a draft of a memorandum which it was proposed
to submit to the delegations to the General Assembly of the other
four permanent members of the Security Council indicating the posi-
tion of the United States on the problem of voting in the Security
Council. Mr. Johnson summarized the latter document which also
was to be submitted to the other four permanent members of the Se-
curity Council and which contained the proposals for rules of pro-
cedure of the Security Council which the United States intended to
present to the Security Council.
  After considerable discussion it was agreed that the position mem-
orandum should be revised in certain details. Likewise the comments
on the proposals for the rules of procedure should be revised to de-

'Drafted by Mr. Bechhoefer.



329