772.00/4–252: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Department of State
secret
priority
New
York, April 2, 1952—5:10
p.m.
665. Re Tunisian case. Kyrou (Gr) called today at his request on Gross, Ross and Cory to report his conversation this morning with Azad (Pak) re Tunisian case and to seek latest US views on subject.
- 1.
- Kyrou learned that Pak del wishes to call SC meeting this week, preferably Friday, possibly Saturday morning, and that Bokhari does not intend to step down from presidency.
- 2.
- According to Kyrou Azad intimated that Asian-African group consists basically of only 12 members, for Ethiopia, Syria and Lebanon participate very slightly in group discussions, advancing as reasons their lack of instructions.
- 3.
- Kyrou said his instructions (which he requested us to hold as strictly confidential) are to vote as US. He therefore has an exceptional interest in US policy on Tunisian case and is prepared to work closely with us. He sees US and Gr votes as critical, for he still adheres to his estimated line-up of US, UK and Neth abstaining on inscription and Pak, USSR, Chile and China voting for, with Brazil and Turkey also voting for, although positions of last two dels are still not quite firm. He is much concerned about adverse effect Greek abstention would have on Greek-Arab relations.
- 4.
- Kyrou said that in his talk with Azad this morning, Kyrou pointed to 3 elements in Tunisian case: Inscription, competence of SC, and substance. He said he suggested to Azad that he thought a happy solution might be for SC to inscribe item but then immediately to postpone discussions on competence and substance, thus giving time for French-Tunisian negotiations and general development of Tunisian situation to proceed. Kyrou said that after Azad reacted negatively to this suggestion, he then suggested to Azad that such postponement of Tunisian qustion might be beneficial to Pak, if based on logic that Kashmir question is about to come again before SC and that SC should handle Kashmir before entering into full-fledged discussion of competence and substance in Tunisian case. According to [Page 711] Kyrou, Azad reacted “very favorably” to this suggestion and agreed to discuss it with Bokhari.
- 5.
- Kyrou said he also this morning discussed with Lacoste (Fr) possibility of postponement after inscription, that Lacoste also reacted “very favorably” and agreed to discuss suggestion with Hoppenot. Kyrou offered to inform USUN of further reactions of Bokhari and Hoppenot which he expects to receive this afternoon.
- 6.
- Kyrou then suggested to USUN that if, despite his hope, US does abstain on inscription perhaps an arrangement might be worked out under which he would still vote for inscription and immediately thereafter explain his vote in which, after referring to precedents in Iranian and other cases, he would move for immediate postponement of SC discussions re competence and substance. He felt reasonably certain that such postponement would be supported by Greece, US, France, UK, Neth, Brazil, Turkey and quite possibly China, provided, of course, that appropriate arrangements are made before-hand with these dels. He also pointed out that such a move would have additional advantage of postponing SC decision whether to invite members of Asian-African group to table.
- 7.
- We agreed to report conversation to Dept.
Austin