310.2/8–1552: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Mission at the United Nations1
77. Re UN membership. Fol are Dept’s views re position we shld take in advance consultations and Sept SC mtgs. Dept wld appreciate USUN’s comment.
[Page 843](1) Our gen objective is to secure defeat Sov omnibus res without ourselves assuming unduly prominent role or losing flexibility our position and at same time to probe if possible Sov intentions re states not included in res. In addition to Jap, ROK and IC states we have gen obligation to support Ger for membership in intl orgs; also Span Amb Aug 12 personally and informally inquired Dept’s views re a Span application and was told we cld not advise re submittal of an application but that we wld support if submitted.
We envisage best gen approach to objective wld be attainment common tactical attitude in SC by entire group SC members other than USSR and—in view their position in Jul on this subject—possibly Chile and Pakistan. Accordingly, we shld consult at every stage with UK, Fr, China, Greece, Turkey, Brazil and Neth and appropriately with Chile and Pakistan, in endeavor agree upon common policy.
(2) We are agreeable, in concert with UK, Fr and China to holding consultations with USSR latter half of Aug. In view of U.S. presidency SC during Aug, you are authorized, if others concur, to take initiative in arranging for consultations. During consultations we wld state that our position against Sov omnibus proposal remains unchanged; that we continue prefer separate consideration each applicant; and that we have objections to certain candidates included in Sov proposal. We wld ask whether USSR prepared alter its views. On assumption USSR position will remain unchanged we wld report to SC that consultations had been held but no agreement reached.
We hope keep consultations confidential or at least hold press discussion to a minimum.
(3) In Sept SC mtg we believe it is important that procedure shld be so organized that SC will deal with new applications (Japan, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) before taking up Sov res. Especially in view possibility that Sovs will include Japan in package it is extremely important that SC take separate vote on Japan before voting on Sov res so that it is clear that Sovs bear full responsibility if Japan not admitted. It is assumed that applications of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia wld be taken up at same time. We wld be inclined follow Fr initiative re exact method handling the IC applications.
(4) In SC we shld request that each applicant included in Sov res be voted upon separately, stating that we continue prefer separate consideration each applicant and that we have objections to certain candidates included in Sov proposal. We shld also request separate vote on ROK application.
We will vote for non-Sov sponsored applicants and wld expect vote against Sov sponsored applicants though we do not wish to take final position pending consultations with other members. We wld also expect vote against Sov res unless your consultations show such reluctance of other members to take this position as wld place undue responsibility [Page 844] for defeat of omnibus deal on US. In that case we wld consider abstention with statement our continued opposition. Question whether Japan included or not wld also figure in our decision this point, which will be reserved until after views other dels known.
- Drafted by Taylor, Officer in Charge, General Assembly Affairs, and concurred in by the Deputy Director of the Office of UN Political and Security Affairs (Popper); cleared by the geographic bureaus and L/UNA; and signed by Assistant Secretary Hickerson.↩