795.00/1–3051: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India
priority
1190. Sir Benegal Rau in UNGA yesterday, referring to concept that door to negots for settlement Korean affair wld still be open after US Res had been adopted, said “I feel bound to mention that my Govt has been informed on the highest auth that once there is a condemnatory Res, there is no hope of a peaceful settlement”. He gave it as view his Govt that condemnatory Res wld finally extinguish all hope of settlement and urged acceptance Asian proposal “as the best way of avoiding the prospect of a war which no one desires”.1
Pls approach Bajpai earliest, bring Rau’s observations his attention and inquire who the cited “highest auth” might be, the exact nature of that highest auth’s warning and circumstances under which warning was given. You may at your discretion point out to Bajpai that US is endeavoring sincerely to understand nature of Indian foreign policy and policy aims, but is experiencing difficulty in determining what means India wld propose use to check aggression in Asia if not by present UN procedures.2
- Rau’s statement was made during the afternoon session of the First Committee on January 29; see U.N. document A/C.1/SR.435, pars. 37–38.↩
-
The Department of State transmitted the following additional message on this subject to the Embassy in India in telegram 1200, January 31, 6 p. m.:
“Deptel 1190 Swedish Amb told Rusk yesterday afternoon that some days ago Chou En-lai told Panikkar that any Govt voting for US res branding Chi as an aggressor wld thereby commit a ‘hostile act against Chi’. Further, that Panikkar had immed passed this on to other dipl Reps in Peiping and that this might have accounted for Rau’s statement to UN.” (795.00/1–3151)
↩