Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Korea, Volume XV, Part 2

795.00/12–653: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of State

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New York, December 6, 1953—8 p.m.

Delga 381. Re: Korea. Ambassador Lodge at his request saw Menon (India) early this evening and reached following understanding with him ad referendum.

1. Menon agreed to introduce following as his own resolution:

“The GA resolves to stand recessed and requests the President of the Assembly with the concurrence of a majority of members, to reconvene the present session if she finds that developments in Korea warrant the reconvening of session.”

2. Menon desires that there be no preamble.

3. Menon requested Lodge to incorporate following ideas in his statement:

(A) Reference to Indian custodial forces;

(B) Praise of Indian troops;

(C) Reference to the progress of negotiations at Panmunjom;

(D) Reference comment to effect that if Indian Government for good and sound reasons desires the reconvening of the session, the US would join India wholeheartedly in securing such a session.

Menon also requested that we seek adjournment Committee 1 tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. presumably to permit circulation of his resolution in appropriate languages. This has already been arranged with chairman and secretary of committee. Menon objected to inclusion of phrase in operative paragraph 2 “particularly as regards status of Indian custodial forces in Korea” because he feared that his people in New Delhi would get frightened.

Lodge suggested that language of new resolution be given to Brazilians to introduce. This too Menon thought would be undesirable since the USSR understands Brazil to be a friend of the US. Several other suggestions as to who might sponsor this resolution were made by Lodge, all of which Menon turned down including a joint sponsorship of India and US, presumably on the ground that such a sponsorship would not find favor with USSR. Ambassador Lodge and staff agree that this draft meets the two essential criteria (1) no fixed date and (2) no reconvening without concurrence of majority.

We believe suggestions which Menon made to Lodge regarding the inclusion of items set forth above in statement we are to make fall within the purview of guidance given us by Department in previous telegrams.

Draft statement for Committee 1 which takes into account the negotiations held with Menon this evening will be sent to Department.¹

Lodge

1. The final resolution (716 (VIII)) jointly sponsored by Brazil and India and passed on Dec. 8 by the General Assembly requested the President of the Assembly to reconvene the Eighth Session with the concurrence of a majority of the member states, if (a) in the President’s opinion developments in Korea warranted such reconvening, or (b) one or more member states requested a reconvening.