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

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

Washington, October 6, 1960—8:48 p.m.

617. Ref: Soviet Draft Declaration on granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.

In preparation for debate on Soviet colonialism item, Department believes it important secure as much support as possible in general debate and in committee for proposition that USSR remains major colonial while other former colonial empires have been largely liquidated. Inasmuch as there will be clear majority in UNGA for any statement condemning colonialism, best course we can follow is to seek turn declaration against Soviets themselves by portraying them in true colonialist colors. Department will be transmitting shortly materials for use briefing other delegations on this item. We believe would be helpful have wide geographic distribution of members making this point.

Type of statement we have in mind is best exemplified by Prime Minister of Malaya’s address to House of Representatives Kuala Lumpur September 20. He said that the Malayan people had been happy at the thought that one of the major problems of the world and a source of acrimony—colonialism—was slowly but surely being rooted out of the African continent. “We had looked forward,” he said, “to a period of comparative peace and harmony. The Communists, however, with their pretensions to champion the cause of colonial and enslaved people are in fact seeking to impose the worst kind of slavery on mankind. We have seen what happened in China and Tibet and we should take heed.”

Department believes series of statements of this type in general debate and committee would help develop climate of Assembly opinion favorable to amendment of Soviet declaration in manner unacceptable to USSR. Also useful if certain governments could supplement these general statements by including material providing detailed case histories of Soviet takeover, in particular East European areas, such as Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Baltic countries.

Dillon

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 321.4/10–660. Confidential. Drafted by Tron, initialed by Cargo and Buffum, cleared by Nunley and Sullivan, and approved by Wallner who signed for Dillon. Repeated to Moscow by pouch.