330/5–2753
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Hickerson)
- Subject:
- New Zealand Candidacy for Security Council Seat.
- Participants:
- Ambassador Munro—New Zealand
- Mr. Hickerson—UNA
- Mr. Ward Allen—EUR
- Mr. Popper—UNP
Ambassador Munro came in to present formally the attached communication1 informing us that the New Zealand Government had decided to stand for election to the Security Council at the fall session of the General Assembly.
I told the Ambassador that I was personally very pleased to hear of this decision. I asked him whether New Zealand had yet obtained full Commonwealth support. The Ambassador stated that the UK and Canada definitely supported the candidacy; that he was sure South Africa and Australia would do so; that he had every reason to believe Pakistan would be favorably disposed; and that he believed that India would likewise go along. Although he had no specific information with regard to India, he pointed out that the Prime Ministers of the two countries would be meeting at the coronation ceremonies with-[in] the next few days.
I told the Ambassador that we regard the seat now held by Pakistan, to which New Zealand now aspired, as a British Commonwealth seat [Page 454] and said that as soon as he could give us definite information to the-effect that New Zealand was the Commonwealth candidate, we would determine our attitude and consider whether and when we could announce our decision. I asked him whether he knew of any other candidacies for the seat. He thought that possibly an Asian state such as Indonesia might aspire to it. He also stated that the New Zealand delegation in New York would be approaching all other delegations within the next few days to inform them of New Zealand’s candidacy and commented that, if we should decide to support New Zealand, we could be helpful in bringing the Latin Americans along.
- Not printed.↩