USUN Files

Ambassador at Large Philip C. Jessup, Member, United States Delegation to the General Assembly, to the Ambassador in Italy (Dunn)

secret

Dear Jimmy: I have delayed my reply to your letter of December 27th1 because the various developments here were changing the scene daily, and I have been too much engrossed in other topics to keep abreast of all details of the membership problem. One or the other of us has had frequent talks with Guidotti and the other Italian representatives here.

[Page 423]

In regard to the specific plan which you discuss in your letter to Jack Hiekerson, it now seems that it would not be feasible even assuming that we could go along. In the first place, there is a real possibility of a Chinese veto because Outer Mongolia is included in the Soviet group of candidates. In the second place, it seems unlikely that all seven of the non-permanent members would vote for the Soviet proposal for various reasons. Actually, we have not yet had firm instructions from the Depatment so that we have had to play a somewhat noncommittal role. We are sending off another telegram today giving the Department the latest line-up on the total membership situation and asking for instructions on a number of specific points. Of course, we are eager to do anything we can to further the Italian application and you can be sure that we will continue to work very closely with their representatives here.

Sincerely yours,

Philip C. Jessup
  1. Ambassador Dunn sent a copy of his letter to Assistant Secretary of State Hickerson, p. 419, to Ambassador Jessup.