330/9–853: Telegram
The Deputy United States Representative at the United Nations (Wadsworth) to the Department of State
160. Re slates: Crosthwaite and Ramsbotham (UK Delegation) today called on me to discuss latest Foreign Office instructions on slates. They explained that Foreign Office has moved closer to US as regards opposing Soviet satellite candidate to succeed Greece on Security Council. Foreign Office sees some merit in Turkey to succeed Greece insofar as Turkey is NATO partner and is from area neighboring on Eastern Europe. However, Foreign Office sees serious disadvantage to Turkish candidacy in that Middle East would be over-represented on Security Council if Turkey were to serve simultaneously with Lebanon. Also, Turkey left Security Council only at end of 1952.
Foreign Office therefore inquires whether US would agree to Security Council seat going to Far Eastern country, particularly Thailand. In light of fact that Pakistan has just announced decision to support Madame Pandit for president of Eighth General Assembly, Prince Wan’s chances of obtaining Arab-Asian votes for presidency are considerably restricted, and his candidacy will probably fail. Consequently, Foreign Office asks, would US agree to support Thailand to succeed Greece on Security Council, both as consolation prize and as effort to strengthen Thailand’s resistance against Communist pressure in Southeast Asia. Foreign Office believes it would be much easier for UK to support Thailand than Turkey.
On basis of UK delegation thinking, Crosthwaite continued that if Turkey does not become candidate for Security Council, Sarper should be supported for chairmanship of Committee 1. UK soundings in New York indicate that neither Sweden nor Denmark will have any delegate available for Committee 1 chairmanship and that only Scandinavian possibility will be Hans Engen of Norway. UK information of a month ago indicates that Van Langehove (Belgium) is not interested in Committee 1 chairmanship on grounds of age and health. Crosthwaite does not think it desirable further to pursue possibility of Western European chairman of Committee 1 until US views known on Sarper as chairman.
Crosthwaite said UK expects Urquia (El Salvador) to be Ad Hoc chairman; Davidson (Canada) to be Committee 3 chairman; and either a Venezuelan or Mexican to be Committee 4 chairman; For committee 2 chairman, UK still sees advantages in supporting Nosek (Czechoslovakia), but Wadsworth told him US by considerable margin still prefers Mates (Yugoslavia) for this post and believes Soviet [Page 503] satellite should be shunted into Committee 6 chairmanship. Crosthwaite saw some advantages in Azkoul (Lebanon) as Committee 5 chairman, especially as it would affect favorably Israeli chances for a vice presidency.
If Sarper is elected to chairmanship of Committee 1, Crosthwaite would see little room left for Greece as vice president. One vice presidency, he thinks, would go to Latin American candidate and other would probably be contested between Pakistan and Israel. UK delegation sees some advantages in supporting Israel, particularly in light of reports that Arab delegations may boycott any committee chaired by an Israeli, but had some doubts whether Israel could obtain sufficient votes for election. UK delegation has no instructions regarding Pakistan candidacy for vice presidency, but recognized that Commonwealth considerations may make it imperative for UK to vote for Pakistan which always strives to share UN honors equally with India. On other hand, UK delegation recognizes difficulties in electing itself, India, Canada and Pakistan all to General Committee and looks with some trepidation to next year when Commonwealth representation on General Committee as consequence presumably would be much restricted. I agreed to seek from Department urgent instructions for reply to UK initiative.