UNP files, lot 59 D 237, “Membership”

Memorandum by the Officer in Charge of General Assembly Affairs ( Taylor ) to Paul W. Jones of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs

secret
  • Subject:
  • USUN Views on Membership

Mr. Hyde just told me that Ambassador Gross’ views as developed in a long discussion yesterday are as follows:

1.
The United States will not be in a position to offer a blanket deal this year.
2.
Even if we were, the Chinese will probably veto Outer Mongolia and the Greeks would at least abstain on the Balkan states. Ambassador Gross considers the British position “dishonest” in that they are apparently trying to make us take the rap for opposing the deal.
3.
Gross thinks there is no possibility of a two-thirds majority in the Assembly voting for any applicant, even Italy, not without a Security Council recommendation.
4.
If the above premises are correct, the best line for us to take would be to hold a perfunctory conference of the five permanent members, ascertain that no-one had changed his position, and so report to the Security Council.