151. Memorandum From the Secretary of State to the President1
SUBJECT
- Your Attendance at the Fifteenth Session of the United Nations General Assembly
The Soviet Government has officially announced that Khrushchev will head the Soviet delegation to the Fifteenth Session of the UNGA. He has written Nehru a letter urging him to come2 and the Soviets are undoubtedly trying to line up other heads of state and government.
We consider it important to do what we can to counter Khrushchev’s efforts to turn the UNGA session into a spectacular propaganda circus. Accordingly, I recommend that you authorize us to instruct our missions to inform local governments of our views of Soviet intentions and our belief that heads of state and government should not lend themselves to Khrushchev’s exercise, and to describe your intentions as follows:
- (1)
- You will not participate in the work of UNGA or be there while Khrushchev is.
- (2)
- You will not be addressing the UNGA during the opening general debate.
- (3)
- You have not yet made a firm decision to appear at the UNGA. A final decision will be taken later in light of subsequent developments.
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Staff Secretary Records, International Series, U.N. The source text bears the handwritten notation by Goodpaster: “President OK’d State notified G”. Circular telegram 341, September 2, incorporating the points in this memorandum, was then sent to all diplomatic missions that night. (Department of State, Central Files, 320/9–260)↩
- Telegram 486 from New Delhi, September 1, reported that Khrushchev had written to Nehru about his impending visit to the U.N. General Assembly, encouraging Nehru to attend also. Nehru wished Eisenhower to know this. (Ibid., 320/9–160)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩