310.2/6–353
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)1
- Subject:
- Korean and Chinese Communist Representation in the United Nations.
- Participants:
- Sir Percy C. Spender, Australian Ambassador
- Minister A. H. Tange, Australian Embassy
- Mr. Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs
- Mr. Kenneth T. Young, Jr., Director, Office of Northeast Asian Affairs
Sir Percy referred to today’s press accounts of President Eisenhower’s meeting with Congressional leaders regarding Communist China’s admission in the United Nations and the President’s statement, as reported by Senator Bridges, that he opposed such admission at this time and that the United States Government would take active steps against it. I replied that I could not elaborate on what the President may have said to the Congressional leaders as reported in the press. However, I pointed out that there was strong opposition in Congress and among the American people to the admission of Communist China to the United Nations and that I, personally, thought it would be a calamity. I said that Sir Percy knew as well as I that there was an extremely strong feeling in the United States that there should be no deal regarding Korea which would let the Chinese Communists in the United Nations. Sir Percy then asked me whether the United States would vote against such admission if it came up in the United Nations. I told him that I could not add anything more to what the President was reported to have said. Sir Percy told me that he felt, and he knew his Government felt, that the admission of Communist China to the United Nations under present circumstances would be most regrettable.
[Here follows discussion of matters relating to Korea.]
- Drafted by Kenneth T. Young, Director, Office of Northeast Asian Affairs.↩