UNP files, lot 60 D 268, “Indians in South Africa”
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Byroade) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy)1
Subject:
- Treatment of Indians in South Africa
Discussion:
The attached telegram (Tab A)2 is a reversal of the position recommended by Mrs. Bolton in October and approved by the Department at that time. The only reason for the reversal appears to be Delga 2303 (Tab B) which indicates that Mrs. Bolton has shifted her position and now thinks that if the “objectionable” paragraphs cannot be voted down we should abstain from the resolution as a whole rather than vote for it.
We consider this problem to be markedly different from the North African situation in which the issue is between a metropolitan power and its dependent peoples over the question of a larger measure of self-government; the South African problem is essentially a question of civil and human rights involving discriminations on the basis of race and color. We understand that our national policy is opposed to racial discrimination. Our abstention on the resolution would in our opinion be widely interpreted as a step backward and by some a repudiation of the principles which we have widely publicized as guiding our approach to the color problem.
Furthermore, our abstention would be a strong affront to the Indians at a moment when India is performing a highly important role in connection with Korea. The other sixteen powers which tabled the resolution also would find our abstention difficult to understand.
The draft resolution is attached (Tab C).4
Recommendation:
That the Department instruct our Delegation to vote for the resolution as a whole regardless of the Delegation’s success in obtaining the removal of the paragraphs concerned.
- This memorandum was drafted by Henry T. Smith, the Deputy Director of the Office of South Asian Affairs.↩
- Not attached to source text. Presumably, the same as telegram Gadel 67, infra.↩
- Not printed. Telegram, marked “for the Secretary”, reads: “Mrs. Bolton raises question whether affirmative vote on 17-power resolution (Delga 144) as a whole is consistent: (a) With our votes on North African items: and (b) With our negative votes on objectionable paragraphs in 17-power resolution. Request you consider again whether taking into account all circumstances US should vote in plenary in favor or abstain. Mrs. Bolton believes on balance we should now abstain. Item will probably be reached in plenary early next week.” (845A.411/11–553)↩
- Not attached to source text. Evidently UN document A/AC.72/L.11.↩