330/7–850: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
top secret
niact
niact
London, July 8, 1950—2
p. m.
[Received July 8—9:50 a. m.]
[Received July 8—9:50 a. m.]
156. Eyes only for the Secretary.
- 1.
- I called at Foreign Office this morning reDeptel 831 and had preliminary conversation with Younger and later with Prime Minister who called at Foreign Office. As British had full text of Reftel detailed repetition of contents was unnecessary. Prime Minister stated that British thinking was consistent with ours; that they would despatch a holding telegram to Kelley at once informing him that instructions would follow; that instructions would be along lines of following paragraph; that text would be furnished you in Washington and to me here and that Kelley would be told not to take action for 48 hours to give you time to comment.
- 2.
- Kelley would be instructed to confine himself to general terms and to the resolutions of SC. He would be told to endeavor to draw Gromyko out in order to determine insofar as possible the Soviet’s position and what they are prepared to do. Kelley will make it clear that UK is acting wholly within the framework of UN resolutions and that UK as a member of SC would be glad to listen to any proposals Soviets may have in mind.
- 3.
- Speaking entirely off the record and personally I suggested to Prime Minister that very probably one of the prices which Soviets would demand for using their influence to cause withdrawal North Korean forces would be agreement that Communist China be seated in SC. If Communist China became member SC its claim to Formosa would be difficult to refute and the US position would be made extremely difficult. Thus price of Communist representative in SC might result in a real estate swap of South Korea for Formosa. Prime Minister replied that British had been thinking along this same line and that the position of HMG would be that the question of Korea and admittance of Communist China to SC were wholly separate.
Department pass Moscow; repeated info Moscow 9 eyes only for the Ambassador.
Douglas