Office of the Historian

501.BB/8–1749: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State

secret
priority
New York, August 17, 1949—3:55 p. m.

938. 1. Ambassador Tsiang1 called this morning at his request to [Page 145] inform us that he has been instructed to propose following item for GA2 agenda “Soviet violations of the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance of 1945”.3 Tsiang asked if USG4 would support inclusion of this item and if we would give active support to development of case in GA. I told Tsiang I would recommend to Department that we do so. Instructions would accordingly be appreciated at Department’s early convenience.

I asked Tsiang if he contemplated filing this item before August 20 deadline for filing supplementary items. He indicated he intends to file item at opening of Assembly, much as Indonesian question was put on agenda at opening last session. Amplifying this point later in discussion, Tsiang said reason for late filing is to avoid tipping off Soviets and Chinese Communists. He asked, therefore, that we keep information very quiet. Members of his own delegation are not aware this step is contemplated. He is instructed to consult “important delegations”. He plans to see Cadogan5 and probably Chauvel6 in immediate future, Indian representative7 and Romulo8 within few days. He apparently does not plan to expand discussions to other delegations here at this time.

Tsiang said he and his Government had been considering for past year question of putting this item on agenda either of SC or GA. He apparently has case well thought through and said they plan comprehensive review whole treaty and Soviet violations thereof.

[Here follow sections on other matters of the United Nations; for section on the publication of the China White Paper,9 see volume IX, pages 1365 ff.]

Austin
  1. Tingfu F. Tsiang, Permanent Chinese Representative to the United Nations.↩
  2. General Assembly of the United Nations.↩
  3. Signed at Moscow, August 14, 1945; United Nations Treaty Series, vol. x, p. 300; for correspondence on negotiation of treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. vii, pp. 851 ff.↩
  4. U.S. Government.↩
  5. Sir Alexander M. G. Cadogan, Permanent British Representative to the United Nations.↩
  6. Jean Chauvel, Permanent French Representative to the United Nations.↩
  7. Ambassador Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit↩
  8. Gen. Carlos Romulo, Permanent Philippine Representative to the United Nations.↩
  9. Department of State, United States Relations With China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949).↩