574.WTC/4–1949: Telegram
The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald) to the Secretary of State
priority
128. Reference Deptel 149, April 15, 7 p. m. General MacArthur has informed me that he fully concurs in the State–Army proposed policy decision for introduction April 21 into Far Eastern Commission.1 It is a basic objective of Supreme Commander to encourage the development in Japan of respect for rights of other nations and to facilitate progressive resumption by Japan of normal international responsibilities. In this purpose, and subject to the Supreme Commander’s discretion and continued control, participation by Japan with other nations or groups of nations in such international relations, conventions, meetings, Consular arrangements, or other bilateral or multilateral accords as Japan may be invited to enter into, accede to, attend, or participate in, and as he shall consider to be in the interests of and in consonance with objectives of the occupation, should, in his view, be encouraged by all appropriate means.
He further considers it to be in the interest of healthy international relations that responsible governments should now welcome full exercise by Japan of her rights of membership in the International Telecommunication Union and hopes that the United States Government will support the position that to limit Japan’s participations to any other basis would be inadequate, niggardly, and unjustifiable.
General MacArthur considers indefensible the position now advanced by the French Government that Japan, having been admitted to full membership in International Telecommunication Union in strict conformity with protocol adopted at plenary session Atlantic City Conference, should not now be invited for participation in conference to full extent envisaged in protocol. He furthermore feels that recourse by French Government at this late date to argument that Far Eastern Commission alone is competent authority, to the exclusion of Supreme Commander’s prerogatives, is an unwarranted assumption of political authority and decision which French Government does not in fact possess. In consequence, he favors [Page 712] disapproving sending Japanese to International Telecommunication Union Conference in limited status of technical advisers.