501.BC/8–1949
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and African Affairs (McGhee)
| Participants: | Madame Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Ambassador of India |
| Mr. George C. McGhee, Assistant Secretary of State | |
| Mr. B. R. Sen, Minister of the Embassy of India | |
| Mr. Elbert G. Mathews, Chief, Division of South Asian Affairs | |
| Mr. T. N. Kaul, First Secretary, Embassy of India | |
| Mr. Samuel K. C. Kopper, NEA | |
| Mr. Joseph S. Sparks, SOA |
[Here follows résumé of the “Problem” as set forth in more detail in the Hickerson memorandum of August 18, supra.]
Referring to Madame Pandit’s conversation last June with the Secretary in which she requested United States support of India’s [Page 243] candidacy for the Security Council, I explained, as had the Secretary, that it is not the policy of the United States Government to announce its support of specific candidates for UN organizations so far in advance of the meetings of the General Assembly. I told the Ambassador that I was happy, however, to be able to inform her that the Department had given very serious consideration to India’s request for support and that for her information it was the Department’s conclusion that the United States should support India’s candidacy. I explained carefully that this decision had been taken only within the Department and that it was subject to review both by the President and by the United States Delegation to the General Assembly, but that it did represent the current thinking of the US Government. I made a definite point of the fact that our support of India was in its role as the Commonwealth candidate for the position.
Madame Pandit seemed very pleased with the explanation of our position.1
- In telegram 661 to New Delhi, September 23, the Embassy in India was informed that this Government had reached a “firm decision” to support India for election to the Security Council. “You may so inform GOI.” (501.BC/9–1349) This decision had been reached in the Department on September 23 without going to President Truman, upon cognizance that “no other slate question on Councils” had been referred to the President (Memorandum, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for United Nations Affairs (Sandifer) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Rusk), September 23, 501.BC/9–2349).↩