Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 33, “Secretary Generalship of UN”
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Western European Affairs (Byington)1
- Subject:
- Korea: Trygve Lie
- Participants:
- Mr. Eden, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- Mr. Shuckburgh, Private Secretary to Mr. Eden
- The Secretary of State
- Mr. Perkins
- Mr. Jessup
- Mr. Byington
Before beginning a discussion of non-UN subjects, Mr. Eden brought up the following:
. . . . . . .
Trygve Lie: When Mr. Eden raised this subject, Mr. Acheson said that he was not in favor of the stress being laid at present by a number of Delegates that a decision had to be reached this week. He had rather liked the line which Mr. Eden has suggested that Mr. Lie might not mean his resignation to be final and it should be explored whether [Page 426] this was the case before taking precipitant action on trying to reach agreement on a successor. The Secretary did not believe that it was actually the case that Lie might reconsider his resignation but he felt this tactic would be a useful maneuver at this time. Mr. Eden expressed agreement with the Secretary’s view. He also discussed the probability that the Soviets would seek to trouble the waters with suggestions in favor of candidates who are in no way qualified for the job.
- Source text indicates that this memorandum was typed Nov. 13.↩