264. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions 1
230. To complement USUN’s conversations New York you should approach FonOff soonest, expressing strong US hope it can urgently instruct its UN delegation to support pending GA resolution on Hungary. Vote expected September 13.
Resolution cosponsored by US and 35 other UN members endorses Special Committee’s report; finds that Special Committee’s conclusions confirm Soviet violations of Charter, Hungarian violation of human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Peace Treaty, imposition of present Hungarian regime by Soviet intervention, Soviet violation of obligations under 1949 Geneva Conventions, and mass deportations; condemns these actions and continued defiance of GA resolutions on Hungary; recognizes continuing plight of Hungarian people; considers [Page 656] further efforts must be made to realize UN objectives in regard to Hungary in accordance with Charter purposes and principles, pertinent GA resolutions; calls upon USSR and present Hungarian authorities in light of evidence in Committee report to desist from repressive measures, to respect Hungarian enjoyment of human rights and freedoms, to ensure return to Hungary of citizens deported to USSR, and to respect liberty and political independence of Hungary; requests Prince Wan of Thailand as GA Special Representative on Hungary “to take such steps as he deems appropriate in view of findings of Special Committee to achieve objectives of UN in accordance with pertinent GA resolutions, to consult as appropriate with Special Committee and to report and make recommendations as he may deem advisable to GA”; and decides to place Hungarian item on 12th GA provisional agenda.
You should emphasize desirability strong endorsement unanimous report of Special Committee, pointing out facts established by Committee’s report conclusively demonstrate need for continued UN consideration Hungarian situation since they highlight flagrant character of Soviet intervention in Hungary’s internal affairs, including use of armed force against Hungarian people, and consequent denial to Hungarian people of right to choose own government. Stress also US conviction that best hope for improvement of present plight of Hungarian people lies in mobilization of world opinion through GA action, to which USSR cannot afford indefinitely remain unresponsive. It would be most unfortunate if after receiving Special Committee’s unanimous report GA were to pronounce itself equivocally on Hungarian situation and by smaller vote.
For Phnom Penh only: Approach left in your discretion.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 320/9–1157. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Brown (IO/UNP) and cleared by EE, NEA, and FE (in substance). Sent to Accra, Addis Ababa, Amman, Baghdad, Jidda, Phnom Penh, Rabat, Tripoli, and Vientiane; repeated to USUN.↩