Office of the Historian

146. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1

Geneva, November 7, 1955—noon.

Dulte 50. Eyes only Acting Secretary from Secretary. Your Tedul 58.2 In light thereof doubt whether there is need for elaboration my views as President and I seem to be seeing alike on this situation. While I realize there are disadvantages in letting any of satellites in I think these disadvantages can be reasonably minimized and that balance will be in our favor. I believe we cannot without very great loss indeed be the nation which adheres to an interpretation of Article 4 which would result in excluding of seven countries recommended by Bandung Conference, including Japan, and which would in such predominantly Christian Catholic countries as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Austria shift to US, rightly or wrongly, the responsibility for their exclusion. This could have very serious consequences particularly in Italy. Also the consequences upon our Latin American relations would I suspect be considerable.

It is to be recalled that our peace treaties with Rumania, Hungary and Bulgaria in effect commit us to UN membership. In connection with above the position of France in Security Council has not been clarified. They may be reluctant to waive veto to permit universality which they believe would further increase anti-colonial element. However, I believe France will not stand alone against the clear will of the great majority including UK.

I have now seen Secto 1883 which generally has my approval subject to any comments Dept or Lodge may have to make.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/11–755. Confidential; Priority.↩
  2. Document 143.↩
  3. Document 144.↩