330/6–2052: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Mission at the United Nations1
secret
Washington, June 20,
1952—7:11 p.m.
499. Re SC membership item:
- 1.
- In view new wording of agenda item 3 on membership, motion for postponement of discussion or referral to Membership Comite suggested Deptel 489 shld cover both sub-paras A and B rather than Sov res only.
- 2.
- In supporting above procedure, Dept believes US shld make brief statement which wld
(a) recognize need for solution
membership problem; (b) leave door open to
possibility of solution without, however, committing US in any way
as to its subsequent position; and (c)
express considerations which in our view make postponement SC discussion desirable. To achieve
this, it is suggested that statement include fol points:
[Page 814]
- a)
- US has always believed in universality as desirable ultimate UN objective and has never blocked admission of any candidate by use of veto.
- b)
- Large majority UN members, including US, have become increasingly concerned over failure of SC to reach solution to membership problem because of Sov policies. GA has requested SC reconsider matter and report to next GA. SC members are thus faced with heavy responsibility of attempting to reach agreement on problem.
- c)
- In light GA position, US hopes all SC members will give careful consideration their position on membership and will be willing consult on this matter. Further, we believe it is desirable that SC members consider gen problem not only in light of applications already submitted but also from standpoint of any new applications which might possibly be submitted before Seventh GA and any reports which might be made thereon by Membership Comite. These considerations lead us to believe gen discussion of membership shld not take place at this stage but rather shortly before GA wld act on membership. This procedure cld not operate to delay admission any candidate, since final action must be taken by GA which does not meet until fall.
- d)
- If discussion takes place re submission of evidence as suggested Peru res, you may state US wld, of course, welcome submission of evidence by applicants if they so desire.
Acheson
- Drafted by Jones and concurred in by Popper of UNP, cleared by the geographic bureaus and L/UNA, and signed by Hickerson.↩