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

245. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Wallner) to the Under Secretary of State (Dillon)¹

Washington, November 10, 1960.

SUBJECT

• Senator Javits’ Call at Noon Today; Possible Topic of Conversation: UAR’s Security Council Candidacy

Discussion

In response to a telephone call to Mr. Macomber from Senator Javits, the Department on September 29, 1960, wrote the Senator explaining the situation with respect to the UAR’s candidacy for election to the Security Council at the current General Assembly (Tab A).² The Senator then wrote the Secretary on October 4, to urge active US opposition to the UAR candidacy (Tab B). A staff study was prepared for the Secretary (Tab C) and he decided not to go beyond the Department’s letter of September 29 in replying (Tab D). Senator Javits again wrote the Secretary on October 21 (Tab E). Mr. Macomber and I decided, with the concurrence of NEA, that no response to this letter was required. On November 4, Senator Javits joined Senators Scott, Keating, and Case in addressing a letter to the Secretary, again urging active US opposition to the UAR’s candidacy (Tab F). It is our intention simply to acknowledge this letter since the Department has already sent letters to all four signatories on this matter.

The UAR remains the sole candidate for the Security Council seat traditionally held by a Middle East or African state. For the reasons set forth in the memorandum to the Secretary (Tab C), no US effort to oppose the UAR’s candidacy or to stimulate an alternative candidacy is considered feasible or desirable. The voting is by secret ballot and there is no discussion of candidacies, as has been explained to the Senator. The US Delegation did succeed in having the Council elections postponed until after the US elections and they are now scheduled to be held tomorrow, November 11. It has also been made clear to the Senator and others urging us to oppose the UAR’s election that the US is in no way “backing” the UAR’s candidacy. You will recall that this is the point we made in the telegram to Moses Schonfeld, Special Consultant to Mr. Lodge, on October 27 (Tab G).

Recommendation

That you stress (1) the very difficult problem presented by the UAR’s candidacy in the circumstances outlined above with which the Senator is familiar; (2) the fact that the US is in no way “backing” the UAR’s candidacy; and (3) that should the UAR be elected, US opposition to certain of its policies and practices, particularly relating to Israel and the Suez Canal, will not be affected.³

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 304/11–1060. Confidential. Drafted by Hartley, initialed by Cargo, concurred in by Macomber and Jones (NEA), sent to Dillon through S/S, and designated 13230. A handwritten notation on the source text states that Dillon saw it.
2. None of the tabs was attached. Tabs A, B, D, E, F, and G have not been found. A copy of Tab C is ibid., 320/10–1460.
3. No record of the meeting with Javits has been found.