Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, United Nations Affairs, Volume III

320/8–2454: Circular airgram

The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions¹

[Extracts]

confidential

Washington, August 24, 1954.

CA–1368. Subject: Ninth Regular Session of United Nations General Assembly

. . . . . . .

(d) Chinese Representation

We will of course vigorously oppose any efforts to exclude representatives of the Government of the Republic of China and to seat Chinese Communists. We are now considering details of the precise procedures which we will advocate in the Ninth General Assembly to achieve our policy objective and this matter will be dealt with in a subsequent communication.

You should reiterate our firm opposition to the seating of the Chinese Communists to the Government to which you are accredited. Following are points which you might advance in stating our policy. (See President’s press statement of July 7, 1954 and Secretary’s press statement of July 8, 1954.)

(1) The Chinese Communist regime is disqualified by its consistent record of opposition to and contempt for the principles of the United Nations. It is a convicted aggressor against the United Nations in Korea; it has not purged itself of that aggression. At the Geneva Conference it continually denounced and vilified the United Nations and demanded that the United Nations be repudiated. In Southeast Asia it promoted aggression. There is no evidence that the Chinese Communist regime meets the Charter test of being “peace loving” and “able and willing” to carry out the Charter obligations.

(2) Any increased acceptance of Communist China would directly serve Communist purposes. Anti-Communist forces in Asia would undoubtedly be weakened. Conversely, Communist elements would be strengthened and emboldened. The result would be serious damage to the free nations of the Far East and a gain for the Communist orbit all over the world.

(3) If appropriate, reference might be made to the serious adverse effect on the attitude of United States public opinion toward the United Nations and toward individual states which support the seating of the Chinese Communists.

. . . . . . .

Dulles

1. Sent to U.S. Missions in 53 countries members of the United Nations, for action; to Moscow, Praha, and Warsaw for information only; to Tokyo for information only; and to USUN. This instruction was one of several sent out in August and September in pursuance of the Department of State’s policy for advance diplomatic consultations with foreign governments regarding items on the agenda of the forthcoming General Assembly.