Office of the Historian

289. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations1

Washington, November 15, 1957—4:06 p.m.

Gadel 81. Re West New Guinea. Following is decision taken by Secretary November 8:

“Confirmed that the U.S. policy of ‘neutrality’ should be continued on the issue of West New Guinea, as to sponsorship, lobbying and voting on resolutions.”

Secretary’s approval of neutrality as to lobbying was supplemented by following comment: “If, but only if, it can be done without becoming public, I would suggest that we would not be heartbroken [Page 503] if there were no two-thirds majority seeming to favor Indonesia’s claims.”

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 656.56D13/11–1557. Secret. Drafted in UNP, approved in S/S, and cleared in IO.↩