974.5301/8–2351: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices 1
priority
173. Fr UNDel informed USDel Aug 21 Fr FonOff strongly believes Suez restriction problem shld be transferred to PCC which wld endeavor mediate solution and has instructed Fr Del press SC members adopt this course.2
If FonOff queries you, you are authorized state Dept opposed this procedure for fol reasons:
- 1.
- SC has special responsibility re Pal question and is, in our view, court last resort to armis agreements parties in armis violations.
- 2.
- SC is now dealing with matter and it wld be inappropriate for PCC to become involved.
- 3.
- In any event PCC Sep 10 mtg still in doubt and therefore PCC cld not act immed.
- 4.
- Such procedure wld establish dangerous precedent and wld undermine auth SC in dealing effectively with armis violations.
- 5.
- SC has already postponed action this question longer than desirable.
In view above Dept believes SC shld no longer delay in executing its responsibility for upholding armis agreements and wld envisage vote on draft res either Aug 27 or next SC mtg after. Paris shld take initiative in approaching FonOff.
- Drafted by Mr. Stabler (NEA); cleared with Mr. Popper (UNP), Mr. Allen (EUR), and in substance with Mr. Monsma (ARA); approved for transmission and signed for the Secretary by Mr. Kopper (NE); sent to Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Quito, Belgrade, The Hague, Ankara, Tel Aviv, Cairo, London, Jerusalem (for the PCC Representative), and New York.↩
- This was reported in telegrams 252 and 258 from New York, August 21 and 22, not printed (974.5301/8–2151 and /8–2251).↩