Conferencia de Yalta: Cuando Argentina casi no integra la ONU a causa de su posición durante el curso de la Segunda Guerra Mundial

CONFERENCIA DE YALTA

Traducción del pasaje que contiene notas taquigráfica referidas a la Argentina [1]

[7 de febrero de 1945]

El pasaje se refiere al 7 de febrero.
El Presidente (Roosevelt): ... "Esta cuestión (porqué no de­clararon la guerra a Alemania las repúblicas sudamericanas en su totalidad) envuelve un hecho histórico que debe explicarse: Hace cuatro años (se refiere a la conferencia de Río de Janeiro) el Secretario de Estado Adjunto, Sr. Surnner Welles, no les dijo a las repúblicas sudamericanas que debían declarar la guerra a Alema­nia, y solamente que cortaran relaciones diplomáticas. Por eso hay cinco o seis repúblicas que deben ser invitadas (a las futuras Na­ciones Unidas) pues cumplieron la orden de los Estados Unidos. Es­ta circunstancia fue llevada a mi atención hace un mes. En conse­cuencia escribí a los presidentes de esas seis repúblicas que deberían declarar la guerra, para concurrir a la conferencia de las Naciones Unidas. Creo que una, Ecuador, ya lo ha hecho. Paraguay va a hacer lo mismo dentro de una semana o diez días. Perú y Uruguay, tam­bién van a declarar la guerra. Sería embarazoso para mí si, después de declarar la guerra, no fuesen admitidas a participar en la reu­nión. Francamente fue un error del Sr. Welles no decirles que debían declarar la guerra, y solamente que rompieran relaciones.
Esas naciones nos han ayudado en la guerra. Una gran parte de las materias primas para la manufactura de municiones provino de ellas. En consecuencia de esto, yo me encontraría en una situación difícil. Porque además de las naciones que firmaron hay un cierto número que pueden llamarse "naciones asociadas", que trabajaron para nosotros. Rompieron relaciones diplomáticas, pero no decla­raron la guerra."
El Mariscal (Stalin): "¿Qué hay con la Argentina?
El Presidente (Roosevelt): "Los argentinos no están en esa posición".
El Mariscal (Stalin): "¿Pero los argentinos rompieron relacio­nes con Alemania?".
El Presidente (Roosevelt): "Pero no los hemos aceptado como nación asociada".
El Mariscal (Stalin): "Yo no estoy a favor de los argentinos. No me gustan; pero deseo que no haya una contradicción lógica. Si invitamos a las naciones que declararon la guerra y también a las naciones asociadas que rompieron relaciones, quedaría una catego­ría de naciones como la Argentina. Eso significaría que Turquía y algunos otros países podrían venir. Pienso que las naciones que efectivamente declararon la guerra, no se sentirían muy a gusto con aquellas otras naciones que no declararon la guerra y esperaron el tiempo, especulando en quién habría de ganar, las cuales no fueron generalmente correctas en su conducta".
El Presidente (Roosevelt): "Mi idea es la de invitar únicamente a aquellas naciones asociadas que nos ayudaron, bajo la condición de que declaren la guerra."
El Mariscal (Stalin): "¿Cuándo lo harían?"
El Presidente (Roosevelt): "De inmediato. Ponga un tiempo, límite."
El Mariscal (Stalin): "Digamos ello de marzo."
El Presidente (Roosevelt): "Muy bien: el 1º de marzo.
____________

…the Soviet Union’s acceptance of our proposal, which was later adopted in substantially the same form at San Francisco.
The discussion on the United Nations then turned to what governments should become members. There followed this colloquy:
The Marshal: "I have a list of the states that declared war on Germany. It means that they become future members of the Assembly. Among those states are ten which have no diplomatic relations with the Soviet union. [Most of these ten were South American republics.] We are to meet with them to build up inter­national security. How is it possible to build up international security with states that have no diplomatic relations with us at all? Perhaps the conference would discuss this matter."
The President: "I think most of them would like to establish diplornatic relations with the Soviet Union. They just have not got around to it yet. At the same time it should be recognized that most of the states that have not recognized the Soviet Union have been sitting with the Soviet representatives at Bretton Woods and other places in conferences that have been held."
The Marshal: "That is right. But it is difficult to build up inter­national security with states that do not want to have anything to do with the Soviet Union."
The President: "I think the easiest way to establish complete diplomatic relations with them is to inyite them, this whole question involves a rnatter of history which should be explained.
"Four years ago the Acting Secretary of State, Mr, Welles, told the South American republics it was not necessary to declare war on Germany but that it was necessary to cut off diplomatic relations. So there are five or six republics which think they should be invited because they too k the advice of the United States at that time. This matter was brought to my attention one month ago. As a result, I sent a letter to the Presidents of these six republics, explaining that if they want to attend the Conference of United Nations they should declare war. I think one, Ecuador, has done so, but has not yet had a chance to sign the Declaration of United Nations. Paraguay will do so in a week or ten days. Peru and Uruguay will soon declare war. The result is that it would be a little embarrassing if, after they declared war, they should then be excluded from coming to the meeting. Quite frankly, it was a mistake of Mr. Welles in not advising them to declare war instead of merely breaking off diploma tic relations.
"In the meantime all these nations have helped us in the conduct of the war. A large part of the raw material s for the manufacture of munitions has come from them. The result is, I am in a difficult position.
"In addition to those nations that have signed, there are a small number called associated nations which have worked with us. They broke diplomatic relations but did not declare war."
The Marshal: "What about Argentina?"
The President: "The Argentines are not in it at all."
The Marshal: "But the Argentines broke relations with Germany."
The- President: "But have not been accepted as an associated nation."
The Marshal: "I am not for the Argentines. I do not like them; but I do desire there should be no logical contradiction. If we invite the nations that declared war and also the associated nations that have broken relations, there is then a category of nations like Argentina. This means Turkey and some other countries would come. I think the nations which declared war would feel not quite at ease with those nations that have not declared war, but were saving all the time, trying to speculate on who would win and who generally were not straight in their behavior."
The President: "My idea would be to invite only those associated nations that have helped us on the condition that they declare war."
The Marshal: "When should they act?"
The President: "Right away. Put a time limit on them.”
The Marshal: "Say, the first of March."
The President : "All right, the first of March."
Mr. Churchill also approved this solution, citing Turkey as an example of a state that had remained neutral heretofore and had been encouraged to do so. Although somewhat reluctant, Marshal Stalin likewise agreed.
Immediately after announcing the Soviet Union's acceptance of the President's proposal on voting procedure in the Security Council, Mr. Molotov expressed the hope that Byelorussia, the Ukraine and Lithu­ania would be admitted to the United Nations. In any event, he said, he hoped the first two would be admitted. Marshal Stalin made a force­ful plea in support of the suggestion.
Prime Minister Churchill supported the Soviet request, stating: "My heart goes out to White Russia, bleeding from her wounds while beating clown the tyrants."
Not wishing to agree, and yet not wanting to oppose Churchill and Stalin directly while the issue of the international organization was in the balance, the President made this statement: "The British Empire has great populations in its dominions, like Australia, Canada and South Africa. The Soviet Government has great masses of population like the three dominions mentioned. The United States has no colonies but has a large population. Brazil is smaller than the Soviet Un ion but larger in area than the United States. There are many countries with small popu­lation, like Honduras and Liberia. We must study the question of whether any country should be given more than one vote. I do not want.

[1] De Speaking Frankly “hablando francamente”, pp. 38/39 memorias del Ex Secretario de Estado James F. Byrnes (Editado por Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York, EE. UU., Año 1947)