Office of the Historian

UNP files, lot 60 D 268, “Indians in South Africa”

Memorandum by the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy) to the Secretary of State1

confidential
[Washington], November 30, 1953.

Subject:

  • U.S. Position on South African Race Conflict Item in UNGA.

Discussion:

1.
Last year the General Assembly established a commission to study [Page 1024] the South African racial situation. The U.S. abstained because it considered this approach wrong. The Ad Hoc Political Committee is now considering the Commission’s report.2 Seventeen members have introduced a resolution (Tab B)3 which would continue the commission with increased authority to “suggest measures which would help to alleviate the situation and promote a peaceful settlement.”
2.
The Delegation in New York desires to abstain on this resolution in order that the U.S. does not appear as supporting racial discrimination.4
3.
On the basis of our view that the commission approach is not helpful, the U.S. should logically vote against the 17-power text. However, UNA considers that the Delegation’s judgment should be taken into account and therefore supports an abstention. SOA believes that an abstention is the least the U.S. should do, taking account of the principles involved and relations with the Arab-Asian states. While I would have preferred a negative vote, it will accept the Delegation’s political judgment favoring an abstention. BNA believes that the U.S. should vote against the 17-power draft. It is convinced that the commission’s continuation, with broadened terms of reference, is a further step leading up to actual intervention by the UN in a matter of domestic jurisdiction; that an abstention will undermine whatever moderating influence we may have in South Africa; and that liberal South African elements will be further weakened. BNA believes further that a negative vote would be salutary in the UN as indicative of a need for caution in getting into problems involving the domestic affairs of its members.
4.
There is no disagreement in the Department regarding the second paragraph of the telegram recommending that the U.S. vote against the South African resolution (Tab C)5 on competence.

Recommendations:

1.
If you determine that the Delegation should be authorized, in accordance with its own recommendation, to abstain on the 17-power resolution, you should sign the attached telegram. (Tab A)6
2.
If you decide that the Delegation should vote against the resolution, the telegram will be amended accordingly, pointing out to the Delegation that our opposition to racial discrimination can be stated in a speech.
  1. This memorandum was drafted by Brown (UNP).↩
  2. The Ad Hoc Political Committee considered the item, race conflict in the Union of South Africa, between Nov. 20 and Dec. 5, 1953. The Commission’s report was submitted to the General Assembly on Oct. 3, 1953. (UN document A/2505 and Add. 1)↩
  3. Not attached to source text. Draft resolution (UN document A/AC.72/L.14) is printed in telegram Delga 313, Nov. 24, 1953, p. 1022.↩
  4. Telegram Delga 322 from New York, Nov. 25, 1953. (845A.411/11–2553)↩
  5. Not attached to source text.↩
  6. Not attached to source text. Presumably, the same as telegram Gadel 107, infra.↩