236. Memorandum of a Conversation, Secretary’s Suite, Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, October 7, 1956, 7:45 p.m.1
SUBJECT
- Communist Chinese Membership in UN
PARTICIPANTS
- The Secretary
- Ambassador Lodge
- Mr. Douglas MacArther II
- Mr. William R. Tyler
- Mr. William Macomber
- Mr. Selwyn Lloyd
- Sir Pierson Dixon
- Mr. Coulson
- Mr. Adam Watson
Mr. Lloyd said the UK was prepared to support the moratorium proposal for the full length of the Tenth [Eleventh] General Assembly. He thought that to do so might be helpful in connection with the National Chinese Government’s attitude toward the Suez item.
The Secretary said he thought this would certainly be helpful. Mr. Lloyd said he understood that the present thinking of the National Chinese Government was that it would abstain from voting on the resolution, and perhaps the UK decision to support the moratorium for the whole GA Session might help.
He added that he would prefer not to inform Ambassador Tsiang himself, as it might smack of trying to “make a deal”, and hoped that the matter could be handled so that there would be the best chance of getting Chinese support in the Security Council debate. Perhaps Ambassador Lodge could speak to Tsiang.
It was agreed that Ambassador Lodge would talk to Ambassador Tsiang and inform him of the British decision.
Mr. Lloyd said this notification to the Secretary will come into effect tomorrow morning since he first had to inform the members of the British Commonwealth about it.2
- Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199, October 1956. Secret. Drafted by Tyler.↩
- On October 8, Lodge drafted a memorandum for his files that reads as follows: “I told T.F. Tsiang today that I thought I could get the British to agree to extension of the moratorium through the entire period of the next General Assembly if he would agree to vote for the Anglo-French Suez resolution. He said he would vote for the resolution and would make a statement explaining his vote.” (USUN Files, Chi Rep)↩