Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The United Nations; The Western Hemisphere, Volume II

310.2/7–1750: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)¹

secret

Washington, July 17, 1950—7 p. m.

42. Fol views of Dept on membership question in SC are for your use in discussions with Brit, Fr, Indian and, in your discretion, with other SC dels:

1. 1. Admission of Sov satellites obviously cannot be considered under present conditions;²

2. SC approval of non-Sov candidates without Sov candidates at present might accelerate or furnish pretext for formal Sov withdrawal from UN;

3. Only practicable course for SC accordingly appears to be postponement of action on applications until forthcoming GA session when situation may have become more clear and definite than at present. Such postponement not inconsistent with “business as usual” policy,³ since no candidate can in any case be admitted until GA session, and since SC rules permit postponement.⁴

Acheson

1. Repeated to London (304), Paris (299), and Karachi (36). (Pakistan had made inquiry as to whether the Security Council would proceed to examine applications for new membership “in the customary manner” during July or August—telegram 31 from Karachi, July 8, File No. 330/7–850.)
2. A reference to the outbreak of hostilities in Korea.
3. For documentation regarding the policy of the United States with respect to the conduct of business by the Security Council in the absence of the Soviet Representative, see pp. 201 ff.
4. In telegram 568, July 26, the London Embassy informed the Department that the Foreign Office “expressed satisfaction” that the United States and the United Kingdom were “now” in agreement on the postponement of any Council action on membership applications. (330/7–2650)