Secretary of State’s memoranda of conversations, lot 64 D 199
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)
- Participants:
- The Secretary
- Sir Roger Makins, British Ambassador
- Mr. Merchant—EUR
At the end of his call on the Secretary to discuss another matter, the British Ambassador stated that he had a reply from London concerning the question of dealing with the Chinese representation issue at the resumed session of the Eighth General Assembly. He stated that insofar as subsidiary organs are concerned, the British position will remain as heretofore. He went on to say that Mr. Eden felt that for parliamentary reasons it was not possible for him to tie himself down at this time with respect to the Ninth General Assembly opening next fall. The Ambassador said, however, that London was willing to go along with the present agreement at the February resumed session of the Eighth Assembly and he then handed the attached proposed formula to the Secretary. The Secretary indicated that the British answer seemed acceptable. The Secretary, however, reminded the Ambassador of the parliamentary confusion which arose on this issue at the opening of the Eighth General Assembly last fall. He said that it might not be possible to avoid a vote on the merits of the issue.
[Page 718]The Ambassador reiterated that the British have no intention of raising the question of Chinese Communist admission at the resumed session.