310.2/10–1151: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
459. Italian Membership. Guidotti (Italian observer) called on Ross with Hyde present on October 10. During preliminaries he mentioned his plans to sail for Paris on 29 October. Ross suggested that days immediately preceding opening of GA are likely to be time of many diplomatic exchanges and negotiations. Therefore, he agreed with Guidotti that latter might well sail for Paris on 23 October.1
Ross introduced subject of Italian membership, recalling tripartite declaration and fact that we are actively studying and discussing how best to forward Italian application. He mentioned our current thinking about pressing for new SC consideration of Italian application. He added that Dept still saw difficulties in suggestions contained in Italian aide-mémoire.
Guidotti indicated this was the real reason for his calling, that he felt Zoppi had not fully presented the question to the Secretary and recalled Hickerson’s suggestion that there be further discussion, which he had come to conduct. At this point, Ross had to leave for a previous engagement and Guidotti continued the conversation with Hyde. Guidotti stated that unless a way is found to bring Italy into the UN the language of the tripartite declaration is meaningless, because [Page 355] Italy has always known that the US and UK wld like to have her a member. Belaunde’s idea of the supremacy of the GA is an excellent one and the real key to obtaining Italy’s admission, although Guidotti cld wish that the Peruvian agenda item had not shown in advance so clearly what the tactic wld be. He feels it wld be a mistake again to bring up the Italian application in SC, because USSR might base its veto on precise language of Article 4 which wld render tactic suggested in aide-mémoire or by Belaunde impractical.
Guidotti restated the argument of the aide-mémoire, stressing the SYG case as a material precedent which shows “the superiority of the GA”. He also urged that the Soviet veto is, or in the future wld be, null and void and GA shld courageously recognize this fact.
He added that there are two legal approaches to this: one, to bring about Italy’s admission and thus live up to the tripartite declaration, the other, to insist on legal difficulties so that most that cld be attempted wld be reconsideration in SC and inevitable veto.
During ensuing discussion Hyde restated the substance of conversation between Zoppi and the Secretary on September 24, 1951. Hyde formulated the legal issue presented by Italian aide-mémoire as going far in the direction of elimination of the veto from what all permanent members agree is a substantive matter, thus a most serious and dangerous precedent might be created entirely apart from at least some possibility that Soviet withdrawal from UN cld result. He expressed doubt about theory of the supremacy of the GA and observed that ICJ opinions as suggested by Belaunde are not binding, even assuming the court wld consider such an issue. Guidotti felt it cld be framed in a non-political way.
Hyde indicated our serious thought of possibility of early reconsideration of Italian application; the fact that we had discussed this with UK and France and possibility that if very effectively presented from propaganda point of view there is some chance USSR might not veto. He also mentioned as personal idea possibility that USSR might be consulted at high level in Paris on resubmission of application. Guidotti thought these suggestions lead toward dead end, that USSR if given a new chance to vote wld veto on grounds Italy no longer peace-loving on account of its NATO connections. While he had not seriously thought of consultations with USSR, he is very doubtful. In short, this plan contains no new element in his view and only if we will recognize that issue shld be decided by Assembly and not reargued in SC are we likely to get affirmative result to which US is committed in tripartite declaration. Hyde attempted to avoid any further crystallization of views and left it that Guidotti wld talk further with USUN or Hickerson.
- See editorial note, p. 348, regarding the Peruvian item of September 24. In the meantime, new items regarding the admission of new members were submitted on October 6, by El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, jointly (Doc. A/1899), and on October 11 by Nicaragua (Doc. A/1907). For texts, see GA (VI), Annexes, fascicule for agenda item 60.↩