Office of the Historian

746E.13/2–253: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Ceylon1

confidential
Washington, February 4, 1953—6:44 p.m.

229. Congratulations on excellent presentation to PM (Embtels 377 Jan 312 and 379 Feb 2).3 Re para 5 Embtel 377 additional point you might make some future occasion is that UK and other rubber producing countries completely embargoing rubber to China in accordance UN resolution.4 Shipments to Russia and Eur satellites in different category. UK has no exemption on Chinese trade. Battle Act states that Act shall be administered so as “to bring about the fullest support for any resolution of the General Assembly of the UN supported by the US to prevent shipment of certain commodities to areas [Page 1567] under the control of governments engaged in hostilities in defiance of the UN”.5

Re statement in Battle Act report on controls over shipping and bunkering purpose correctly stated in Embtel 377. Shld be noted that these controls not directed specifically against Ceylon but rather designed to assist general adherence at operating level to UN resolution.

PM’s statement (para 12 Embtel 377) implies GOC may permit re-export rubber originating other countries. Ceylon Emb advises it is govt policy not permit such shipments which is supported by last para Embtel 363 Jan 21.6 Pls advise.

Matthews
  1. This telegram was repeated to London for information as telegram 5183.↩
  2. Supra.↩
  3. Telegram 379 from Colombo, not printed, carried the verbatim text of the aide-mémoire referred to in the second line of telegram 377 to Colombo, supra. The substance of the aide-mémoire concerned the remark about Gladys Simon and the past and current status of U.S. Point Four assistance to Ceylon. (746E. 13/2–253)↩
  4. The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 500 (V) on May 18, 1951 calling for an embargo on the shipment of arms and strategic materials to areas under the control of Communist China and North Korea. For the text of the resolution and related documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1951, vol. vii, Part 2, pp. 1874 ff.↩
  5. The Embassy, in telegram 386, Feb. 6, 1953, acknowledged the argument that the United Kingdom was cooperating fully in embargoing rubber to China in accordance with the UN resolution. It noted, however, that most Ceylonese suspected that U.K. (Malayan) rubber going to the Soviet Union was being reshipped to China and North Korea to aid in their war effort. In addition, the Embassy continued, Ceylonese tended to view our insistence on Ceylon’s adherence to the UN resolution illogical since Ceylon was not a UN member. (493.009/2–653)↩
  6. Not printed.↩