310.2/8–1952: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Department of State

secret

161. Re: Membership. Advance consultations were held with Coulson and Laskey (UK) and Hoppenot and Lacoste (France) at outset Gross covered with Department’s views stressing our objective of defeat Soviet omnibus resolution; we are open to consultations of permanent members and that we regard it as extremely important that SC take separate vote on Japan before voting on Soviet res.

(1) There was general agreement on holding a private consultation on Thursday, August 21 to which Chinese representative subsequently agreed.

(2) UK will not accept Soviet omnibus resolution in its present form or whatever states USSR might add to it. If it comes to a vote UK will abstain. France also will oppose on principle Soviet package resolution. If it lacks sufficient votes to carry, France will abstain. However, if it obtained majority France would veto it on the theory that admission of Soviet candidates would add hostile members when North African questions are considered.

(3) After considerable discussion no conclusion was reached on how Japanese application should be handled to bring it to vote before omnibus resolution. UK and French felt that consultations with Malik might indicate strong Soviet objection to Japan so that no danger of including it in omnibus res arising. If it appears USSR opposes Japan, UK and France saw considerable difficulty in using SC majority to waive SC rule 32 to put Japanese application ahead of Soviet draft res tabled on 16 June. They felt procedural situation created by July 9 SC meeting which decided to postpone membership question until September 2 is at least moral commitment to take up Soviet res in proper order. UK wondered whether vote at same meeting on separate Japanese application after Soviet draft res would be disadvantageous.

Discussion also showed UK and French are disinclined to see each application apart from Japan put separately to a vote. They would not want to see SC rule 32 waived to vote Soviet draft res state by state. We pointed out SC procedure 13 September 1949 to vote on separate applications before voting on Soviet omnibus proposal. While there was agreement Japanese and ROK applications as well as associated states if they come up need separate vote, there was no decision on how to take up Japanese case first.

(4) USUN raised question of Germany and Spain. French hoped neither application would be before SC. Associated states raised peculiar problem for French because Laos and Cambodian applications are complete but not Viet Namese. French realize any initiative they [Page 846] take to hold up two until third is completed is dangerous as suggested political direction of all three associated states by France. It was agreed subject to French instructions that in 5-power consultations we might say that applications of Japanese, Laos and Cambodians are in proper form and there is no reason why applications of associated states should not be considered and acted on by SC.

USUN will broaden consultations to other friendly SC members immediately.

Austin