CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 152: SFM Documents 1–40
Paper Agreed Upon by the French, United Kingdom, and United States Delegations to the United Nations1
Document 13 [D–1]2
Chinese Representation in the United Nations
Subject to further instructions, the following points have been agreed upon in discussions with members of the French, United Kingdom [Page 1185] and United States Delegations to the United Nations held in New York August 28 and September 6:
- 1.
- It would be desirable for this question to be settled promptly at the opening of the General Assembly in plenary session.
- 2.
- However, reference of the problem to the Credentials Committee should not be opposed.
- 3.
- The composition of the Credentials Committee is important. In the U.S. view, since 16 of the 59 members of the UN have recognized the Communist regime, the Committee, reflecting a similar proportion, should consist of three states which have recognized that regime and six states which have not.
- 4.
- It would create confusion and delay for the decision on seating Chinese representatives at the General Assembly to be postponed pending study and action on the separate agenda item regarding the criteria to be followed by the UN in seating rival claimant governments.
Questions for Consideration by the Foreign Ministers
No effort was made in the preliminary discussions to reach agreement as to which representative should be seated. The U.S. stated its firm opposition to seating the Communists while the Korean aggression continues and its intention to seek to persuade others to adopt a similar view. The French Delegation stated that in the present state of its instructions it would abstain both on unseating the National representatives and seating the Communist representatives. The U.K. Delegation reserved its position.