772.00/5–552: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Department of State
780. From Gross. Tunisia. May 2 spent eve in NY with Romulo1 who talked at length on Tunisian issue. Is convinced of great difficulty ahead unless French reach satisfactory agreement with Tunisian nationalist reps. As he has informed Dept, Indian Govt now making informal approaches certain capitals, including Manila, to sound out sentiment for Asian mtg New Delhi to concert policy re Tunisian issue. Romulo believes GOI sat back until after “failure” of Pakrep to win SC hearing and is now taking up cudgels to show Asia that India can provide only real leadership. Romulo thus explains recent GOI initiatives, such as circularizing other UN dels. He sees danger to US in this Pak–Indian competition on Tunisian case, which must lead to constantly more extensive demands.
Romulo agreed that only real hope was agreement between French and Tunisians and that special session of GA should be avoided at all costs. He not only fears consequences outlined last para Deptel No. 411, April 30,2 but is terrified of situation which would confront him personally since he feels he might have to attack US attitude. I gather his present position is awkward enough. Several Asian-African dels, including Pak, had urged him to come to NY personally to lead the fight for SC consideration. He put them off, expressing confidence that US would certainly vote to put question on SC agenda with indefinite postponement of discussion of case. Santa Cruz talked with Romulo before tabling Chilean proposal having this objective.
More in sadness than in anger he asked explanation of our failure to support Chilean res.3 He fears we may underestimate the impact of our abstention upon FE public confidence in our motives, particularly because of the “insidious” fact that this is regarded as a NATO action and as “proof” that in addition to being a defensive alliance against Russia it is also an alliance of colonial powers to maintain status quo.
I outlined our position to him, telling him of my conversation with Gonzalez (mytel No. 769, May 1)4 and informed him in confidence of the general nature of our approaches to the French. He was gratified [Page 749] to hear of latter, repeating his agreement that the only road to lasting solution was agreement between the parties.
He warned against re-enacting what he called the “tragedy of Indonesia”, where he feels that although the US was in fact the instrument by which Indo achieved independence, nevertheless our “wobbly and weak attitude” at the beginning of the Indo dispute created a public opinion in Asia which has remained suspicious ever since. Romulo attributes our present difficulties with Indo govt largely to this fact, arguing that Indo people do not really know what role we played after initial widespread bitterness at our support of Dutch.
- Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, the Ambassador from the Philippines to the United States and Representative of the Philippines at the United Nations.↩
- Ante, p. 738.↩
- The Chilean resolution stated that it favored Security Council inclusion in its agenda of consideration of the communication by 11 Arab and South Asian nations regarding Tunisia, with the understanding that action would not imply the competence of the Security Council to consider the substance of the question. It also called for postponement of consideration of the question for the time being. (UN document S/2600)↩
- Ante, p. 739.↩