Office of the Historian

320/8–254

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Murphy)1

confidential
[Washington,] August 2, 1954.
  • Subject:
  • Prince Wan’s Candidacy for Presidency, Ninth General Assembly.
  • Participants:
  • Ambassador Pote Sarasin—Thailand
  • G—Mr. Murphy
  • UNA—Mr. Wainhouse

Ambassador Sarasin came in to discuss with me the question which he raised with Mr. Wainhouse on Thursday, July 29 with respect to our approaching certain Latin American countries to ask their support for Prince Wan’s candidacy for the Presidency of the Ninth General Assembly.

[Page 574]

I asked the Ambassador how Prince Wan was making out on his candidacy for the Presidency.

The Ambassador stated that there are five Latin American countries—Dominican Republic, Chile, Brazil, El Salvador, and Colombia—who are committed to vote for Van Kleffens. Prince Wan feels the Ambassador stated, that if he can secure the support of the 15 Latin American States he will win, since all the Arab-Asians will vote for him with the exception of Iran which is committed to vote for Van Kleffens. Canada and other Western European States are committed to Van Kleffens. A number of these commitments, he said, were made on the understanding that Van Kleffens would be the only candidate. It was his opinion that since there are now two candidates, a number of countries would have to reconsider their position.

I stated that in my conversation with Prince Wan at lunch on July 13, 1954, I understood Prince Wan to say that he had Latin American support. At this point Ambassador Sarasin said that what Prince Wan ascertained from the Latin Americans following his conversation with the Secretary on July 1, was simply that there would be no candidate from that group standing for the Presidency this year, since Prince Wan felt and as he told the Secretary then, that if there were a candidate from that area, he, Prince Wan would not want to run.

Ambassador Sarasin stated that the suggestion that Prince Wan stand for the Presidency came from the Secretary on the latter’s initiative, and that Prince Wan so reported to his Foreign Office. Prince Wan himself, the Ambassador said, contemplated running for the Presidency three years hence.

I pointed out that in the conversation which the Secretary had with Prince Wan on July 1, 1954 on this matter the latter said that his decision to run would depend on whether the Latin American countries would support him. With this the Secretary agreed, and it was left that the Prince would find out whether the Latin Americans would support him, and to let us know after he made the soundings. On the 13th of July, Prince Wan told me that he did have Latin American support.

I stated that we are, of course, voting for Prince Wan and have so informed the Dutch, the Belgians, and the British, and are informing the others who are making inquiries, but that we would not campaign for him.

The Ambassador asked whether the Secretary could make a public statement that we will vote for Prince Wan. He mentioned that last year such a statement was made to the press by this Government in connection with the candidacy of Madame Pandit. I stated that I would take this request up with the Secretary.

Robert Murphy
  1. Drafted by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for UN Affairs (Wainhouse).↩