Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

714.00/6–2354: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France ¹

secret
priority

Washington, June 23, 1954—7 p.m.

4775. From Secretary. See Foreign Minister² immediately and express our grave concern at Hoppenot’s tactics in UN Security Council meeting on Guatemalan complaint³ Sunday, June 20.⁴ During course of meeting French Delegation drafted amendment to Brazilian-Colombian resolution⁵ referring Guatemalan case to Organization of American States; amendment stated: “Without prejudice to such measures as the Organization of American States may take, the Council calls for the immediate termination of any action likely to cause further bloodshed and requests all Members of the United Nations to abstain, in the spirit of the Charter, from giving assistance to any such action.”

US Del tried unsuccessfully dissuade French from introducing amendment, but Hoppenot insisted on tabling it, arguing it would be useful in connection with Indochina situation.⁶ Amendment died when resolution as a whole was vetoed by Russians but was then, without consultation with US Del, re-introduced as separate proposal⁷ by French without any reference to OAS.

US Del felt it had no recourse but to vote for resolution.

US forebodings were fully justifed. Guatemalans have made effective use of resolution to maintain that SC continues to be seized of matter and even that OAS cannot take it up. Guatemalans are maintaining resolution binds Honduras and Nicaragua to halt alleged “aid to Aggressors”. Result has been to complicate task of OAS in attempting to deal with matter, and to put two factions in Guatemalan conflict on same plane regardless of fact that Guatemalan government is functioning as agent of Communist imperialism in America and as such, under resolution adopted at recent Caracas conference, represents clear threat to peace and security American continent. In short, resolution has served in effect to lend Guatemalan government an air of respectability it should not enjoy.

We stress fact French pushed their resolution through despite our objection, even though matter was of no direct interest to them and of vital concern to us. Parallel with Indochina situation not at all convincing; quite apart from other differences, there is no regional organization such as OAS available to deal with Indochina situation, and OAS is properly the agency to deal with Guatemalan complaint in first instance under Chapter 8 of UN Charter. We cannot help contrast Hoppenot’s conduct most strongly with our own attitude with regard to Thai request for UN observation. We consulted with the French about this from the outset and delayed any moves in the UN for almost a year, despite the deteriorating situation on the spot and despite the strong desires of Thai and later Cambodia. When we finally did obtain British and French acquiescence to moving in the GA, we induced the Thai to water down their resolution to a point acceptable to the British and French. We did these things in the interest of harmony with and support for our allies, just as we had done on the Tunisian and Moroccan problem⁸ in the last two GA sessions. We hardly consider Hoppenot’s reckless and hasty action as an adequate response to our tactics in the UN.

Please stress importance we attach to Hoppenot’s abandoning such tactics and exhibiting more cooperative attitude in future. We hope he will be promptly instructed not to take any further action with regard to Guatemalan matter without prior consultation with Lodge.

Please convey to Foreign Minister how deeply concerned I am personally about this matter. I have asked Ambassador Bonnet to call tomorrow afternoon and will take it up with him in detail.⁹

Dulles

1. Drafted by Acting Director of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs David H. Popper; signed by Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs David McK. Key. Repeated for information to USUN in New York.
2. Pierre Mendès-France, French Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
3. See the editorial note, p. 1174.
4. Reference is to the 675th meeting of the Security Council, which convened on June 20, 1954.
5. Regarding this resolution, see footnote 5, supra.
6. For documentation relating to this subject, see volume xiii .
7. For text of the proposal (UN document S/3237), adopted by unanimous vote of the Security Council, see Official Records of the Security Council, 9th Year, p. 38.
8. For documentation on this subject, see volume xi, Part 1.

9. The memorandum of conversation between Secretary Dulles, Ambassador Bonnet, and Minister of the French Embassy Gontran Begougne de Juniac, dated June 24, 1954, by Mr. Key, is not printed (330/6–2454).

   On June 25, 1954, Secretary Dulles discussed the Guatemalan complaint before the Security Council with British Foreign Secretary Eden and British Ambassador Makins at the Department of State; a memorandum of their conversation, by Mr. Key, not printed, is in file 714.00/6–2554.