27 JULY 1945, Page 12

U.N.C.I.O. POSTSCRIPT

SIR,—Mr. Leonard Stein is, of course, correct in saying that the San Francisco Charter does not itself specify that discussion of disputes is to be regarded as a procedure matter on which the " veto " of one of the five permanent members of the Security Council shall not be effective. But the right of discussion without the exercise of the veto by any one Power is governed by a collateral agreement made following prolonged discussion between the Big Five and reference back to Moscow by the Soviet delegation.

This was announced by Mr. Stettinius on June 7th in the following words: . "Under the terms of the agreement, unanimity of the permanent members of the Council is regarded as provided by the Crimea agreement on all decisions relating to enforcement actions and— except as to parties to disputes—in all decisions for peaceful settle- ment. But this requirement of unanimity does not apply to the right of a nation to bring a dispute before the Council as provided by Paragraph 2, Section A, Chapter VIII, and no individual mem- ber of the Council can alone prevent a consideration and discussion by the Council of a dispute or situation thus brought to its attention."

3 Essex Court, Middle Temple, E.G. 4. FRANCIS WILLIAMS.