Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Korea, Volume VII

795.00/6–2950

Memorandum of Conversations, by Mr. Charles P. Noyes, Adviser on Security Council Affairs, United States Mission at the United Nations

secret

[New York,] June 29, 1950.¹

Subject: Ambassador Rau’s Proposal

Participants:	Mr. Bredo Stabell, Delegation of Norway
	Mr. C. P. Noyes, United States Mission
	Dr. Carlos Blanco, Delegation of Cuba
	Ambassador Gross, United States Mission

I called Stabell to advise him that we now had received instructions in regard to Rau’s proposal.² Our attitude was negative. I indicated that we thought it would be inappropriate, particularly at this time, to give the impression that the issue in the world today was between the United States and the USSR; it was perfectly clear that the issue in the world today was between the United Nations and the Communist aggressors in North Korea.

Stabell indicated very strongly that that was his own view. He told me that this afternoon Rau had made a revised suggestion. He had proposed that the non-permanent members should issue a brief statement after the Security Council meeting tomorrow appealing to the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the USSR to hold a high-level meeting. Apparently the rest of the text would conform to the original proposal. He asked me what our attitude would be towards this.

I told Stabell I of course could speak only personally; that it seemed to me that exactly the same considerations applied and that I was certain that our reaction would be the same. I thought such action by the non-permanent members would seriously undermine the position in which the Security Council and the other members of the United Nations had taken.

Stabell seemed thoroughly agreed. He did not know what the other non-permanent members of the Security Council would think about such a proposal. He urged me to pass this information to Ambassador Gross so that he could give Ambassador Sunde a definite reaction at tonight’s dinner.

Blanco (Cuba) called Ambassador Gross to determine our reaction to Rau’s latest suggestion. Blanco indicated that he understood that Rau’s idea was that the non-permanent members would authorize him as President of the Security Council to make the appeal to the four Permanent Members in their behalf. The appeal would be similar to that described by Stabell.

Ambassador Gross indicated that our reaction to Rau’s original proposal was negative. He pointed out that the new proposal would in effect take the Korean question out of the hands of the United Nations and place it in the hands of the Council of Foreign Ministers. He thought this would be a serious mistake. Blanco indicated that he agreed with this position and had called Ambassador Gross before communicating with his Foreign Office.³

C. P. Noyes

1. The source text is a copy of a document in the IO Files, Department of State, bearing the designation US/S/1267 and the date June 30, 1950.
2. Reference is to a proposal for a Security Council resolution inviting the United States and the Soviet Union to meet at the “highest level possible” to discuss world problems, reported in telegram 533, June 23, from New York (357.AB/6–2350). For related documentation, see vol. ii, pp. 371 ff.
3. On June 29, Mr. Noyes also talked with Gopala Menon of the Indian delegation to the United Nations and noted that no mention was made of the possibility of action in connection with Ambassador Rau’s proposal for a high-level meeting between the United States and the Soviet Union (795.00/6–2950).