501.BC Greece/5–1447: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)
217. 1. Re para 3 Gromyko’s resolution May 12, Dept agrees with Herschel Johnson’s suggestion that at early stage of discussion US should make clear in SC that it had never occurred to US that life of subsidiary group should extend beyond life of Commission nor has US any indication that any other member had such intention. Dept, while preferring informal statement to resolution, would not object to SC resolution on this point.
2. Since USSR resolution May 12 does not directly support positions taken by Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria before Commission, difficulties considerably lessened in attaining objective set forth in Dept’s 210 of May 8 that matter should not be magnified into major question for UN. Presumably paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of USSR resolution will be defeated. Thus failure of SC to sustain only objection of any SC member to April 29 directives of Commission to subsidiary group will constiute confirmation by SC that such directives are within Commission’s terms of reference. This should remove all doubt concerning obligations of Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria as set forth in para 2, Deptel 210.
3. It is therefore important that Council if possible consider and vote on USSR resolution1 prior to discussion of broader issues raised by cablegram from Commission dated May 5. You may wish to discuss this situation with President in advance of May 16 meeting.
4. When SC considers May 5 cablegram from Chairman of Commission US position outlined in Deptel 210 should be made matter of record in SC unless position taken in SC by Yugoslavia, Albania and Bulgaria makes this unnecessary.
- The Soviet resolution came to a vote on May 22, when it was defeated by a vote of 6 to 2, with 3 abstentions (SC, 2nd yr., No. 42, p. 924).↩