320/9–1853: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
Delga 13. Re Membership.
Working group met with Governor Byrnes1 this morning to review situation re membership item. Meeting reviewed UK draft and redraft prepared in New York on basis Gadel 5. Governor Byrnes and group felt this approach unlikely to gain acceptance in face of other approaches likely to be put before ad hoc committee this year.
Meeting analyzed at length the new suggestion of Belaunde concerning a small UN body to undertake negotiation of a membership settlement. Following points were brought out as drawbacks of this approach:
- (a)
- It would result in establishment of one more UN subsidiary organ which would be unable to achieve results;
- (b)
- When a settlement of the membership problem becomes possible, such can be achieved without resort to committees;
- (c)
- Activity by the commission could embarrass the US through proposals for settlement which this government would reject;
- (d)
- Establishment of the UN body might raise false hopes for a solution of the membership problem, particularly among the 14 applicants whom we support.
There was also discussion of variants on Belaunde suggestion, such as (1) use of non-permanent members of the Security Council either as a good offices committee or as a group to consult with any committee that might be established by GA; (2) designation by SYG of individual [Page 969] or group to lend good offices at appropriate time; (3) delay in providing good offices group until Ninth Session; and (4) reference of legal questions to ICJ. These alternatives generally considered unsatisfactory as being unlikely to gain sufficient support in Assembly to head off Belaunde proposal or other less desirable resolution.
After discussion and weighing of alternatives, Governor Byrnes felt conclusion was clear that US at this Assembly should support and give direction to Belaunde suggestion. He noted that this contained positive elements which would certainly evoke support in GA. While he was doubtful of negotiating group’s ability to produce settlement, he thought it better for US to support proposal which would be viewed as even a little hopeful rather than one totally pessimistic.
It was noted that Belaunde would, in all probability, press ahead with his plan regardless of US views; if US can support his basic idea, we will probably be able largely to control the kind of resolution on membership which emerges from the Assembly as to composition of subsidiary group and functions. We would hope to make clear group was only to hold itself available for good offices. In this way, possibilities of embarrassing action by group would be minimized.
Governor Byrnes felt there was merit in incorporating reference to charter revision in membership resolution. He felt membership was one of the obvious subject matters to be considered in connection with revision. It was agreed that any group set up by Assembly should not be required to report back at any fixed time but should be instructed to report only in its discretion.
We expect to receive from Belaunde a draft resolution on which he has been working. Here in New York we expect to try some redrafting of his resolution along lines which would make it acceptable to us, incorporating elements of charter review and need for each applicant to be considered on own merits. We will wire texts to Department for its consideration as soon as they are available. Exploratory talks with UK and Netherlands disclose that Netherlands delegation and UK working level favorable to Belaunde idea.
- James F. Byrnes, former Secretary of State, Member of the U.S. Delegation to the General Assembly. Within the Delegation, Byrnes was U.S. spokesman with regard to matters relating to the membership question (that is, U.S. Delegate on the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Political Committee).↩