Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, United Nations and General International Matters, Volume II

115. Instruction From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations¹

A–142

Washington, December 4, 1959.

SUBJECT

• Identification of Premises Occupied by Delegations to the United Nations By Means of Exterior or Other Markings

National Security Council (NSC) Directive Number 5427 of July 19, 1954,² states that all Soviet Bloc Missions in the United States should be identified adequately by exterior plaques and signs. Since then, the Department has received, periodically, reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation establishing that the premises of certain Soviet Bloc Missions are not identified in the manner described in the NSC Directive. The latest report calls the Department’s attention to the lack of plaque or sign on buildings occupied by the delegations of the USSR, Byelorussia, Albania and the Ukraine.

The Department recognizes that it would not be appropriate to request the identification of premises occupied by Soviet Bloc delegations to the United Nations without making a similar request of other United Nations delegations. Therefore, to avoid affording the USSR, or a Bloc member, the opportunity to charge discrimination and possibly invoke the Headquarters Agreement thereby involving the Secretary General, the Department believes the custom observed in Washington, D.C. would suffice to form the basis for a circular note to all United Nations delegations requesting that they identify the premises they occupy and that the means employed, sign, plaque, office door lettering, etc., would be governed by the nature and location of the premises.

The United States Representative is requested, therefore, to address a note along the following lines to each Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

“It has come to the attention of my Government that the building or premises occupied by certain delegations to the United Nations are not identifiable as such to the general public. My Government requests, therefore, that each delegation to the United Nations, which has not done so, take appropriate measures to identify the premises it occupies either by means of a plaque, sign, office door lettering or other means depending upon the nature of the premises.

“Should questions arise concerning the foregoing request they may be directed to the Department of State through the United States Mission to the United Nations.”

The United States Mission is requested not to make any reference to the NSC Directive either in the note or in conversations with members of delegations.

Herter

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.360/12–459. Secret. Drafted by IO/OIA; cleared in draft with Spruks and Davis and in substance with SCA; and approved by Puhan.
2. A copy is ibid., S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1.