Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, General; The United Nations, Volume I

IO Files: US/A/557

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by Mr. Samuel K. C. Kopper of the United States Delegation Staff of Advisers

secret

[New York,] October 3, 1947.

Mr. Henderson¹ called Mr. Bohlen this morning to inform him of the Department’s latest thinking on India’s candidacy for the remaining position on the Security Council. Since Mr. Bohlen was in a meeting in the Secretary’s Office, I talked with Mr. Henderson; Mr. Henderson said that he had discussed this matter with Acting Secretary Lovett this morning. The results of their conversation Were as follows:

1. Mr. Lovett agreed with. Mr. Henderson that the United States should “stick tight on India”. The Acting Secretary did not think that we should Switch around nor should India be used as a pawn with a view to a possible substitution of Czechoslovakia or another country by one means or another. He felt that since we have indicated our support for India we should stand firm on it.

2. Mr. Lovett and Mr. Henderson suggested that the United States might make it clear either in a public statement or in a statement in the General Assembly that the United States was prepared to have the Soviet Union and two of its component republics in the United Nations to sit in the General Assembly, but had never agreed at Yalta that any nation such as the U.S.S.R. could have what amounts to two seats on the Security Council. Mr. Lovett and Mr. Henderson thought that Mr. Bohlen might give consideration to making a suggestion to the Secretary along these lines and making clear our position at Yalta. In addition, such a statement might make clear that we had not deserted the principle of geographic representation, but since Czechoslovakia did not choose to run, and since there were no other suitable candidates from the Eastern European area, we decided to support India.

3. Mr. Henderson said that Mr. Lovett did not feel in a position to decide whether the United States Delegation should actively campaign for India’s candidacy. The Acting Secretary did not feel completely conversant with this aspect of the situation. They felt, however, that the United States should be straightforward and open in its support of India. Mr. Henderson said that his own office felt that we should give as much support to India in our discussions with other delegations as we had in the cases of other candidates we had supported. He felt that India should obtain no more support nor no less than these.

1. Loy Henderson, Director of the Office of Neat Eastern and African Affairs.