Office of the Historian

320/7–953

Memorandum of Conversation, by Nicholas G. Thacher of the Office of South Asian Affairs

confidential
[Washington,] July 9, 1953.
  • Subject:
  • Indian Government Considering Putting Forward Mrs. Pandit for Presidency of General Assembly
  • Participants:
  • Mr. I. J. Bahadur Singh, Counselor of the Indian Embassy
  • Mr. Kennedy, SOA
  • Mr. Thacher, SOA

During his call Mr. Singh brought up among other things the fact that the Indian Government was considering putting forward Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Prime Minister Nehru’s sister and former Ambassador to the US, as a possible candidate for President of the General Assembly at its next regular session (the forthcoming eighth session scheduled to meet in September).

Mr. Singh said that the Indian Prime Minister was interested in this possibility but that he wished to know the views of the US Government before taking any steps in the matter. Mr. Singh declared that our attitude towards the candidacy would be a most important factor in determining whether the Government of India would actually propose [Page 474] Mrs. Pandit. Mr. Singh stated that it was a matter of some urgency for the Indian Government to know our attitude since if positive action was to be taken in the matter then it should be initiated in the near future. Mr. Kennedy assured Mr. Singh that the matter would be given prompt consideration by the Department.

In response to a query by Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Singh stated that he did not believe there was any chance of Mrs. Pandit being made Minister of External Affairs. Mr. Singh stated that the Prime Minister did not wish to favor his own family too much in the matter of important appointments, and that the Prime Minister would not wish to have his own sister in the cabinet.

Mr. Kennedy inquired as to the possibility of Mr. V. K. Krishna Menon’s leading the Indian Delegation to a special meeting of the General Assembly to consider the Korean problem. Mr. Singh said that this was likely and was logical in view of Mr. Menon’s having taken the initiative in negotiations concerning Korea at previous meetings of the General Assembly.

Mr. Singh alluded to his own service with the representatives of the Government of India on the UN Commission in Korea in 1945–48 and stated that at that time he and others had been impressed by the obstinacy of Dr. Rhee particularly as shown by his unwillingness to accept into his cabinet representatives of other parties. Mr. Singh stated that he might very well be sent as part of the Indian representation on the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission whenever the latter body came into existence.