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

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

Washington, November 30, 1960—11:15 a.m.

1006. Re USUN’s 1542, 1543, 1547, 1548 and 1560. Department’s 804 and 837.²ASAF draft resolution on colonialism transmitted your 1542³ is considerable improvement over previous drafts. Cosponsors have dropped most troublesome concepts in Soviet draft declaration, including independence for all dependent peoples “forthwith,” as well as section on foreign bases. ASAF draft also makes no mention of target dates. On positive side, phraseology of resolution borrows from Bandung language to include by implication Soviet-dominated areas. Moreover, public relations implications throughout world and importance our relations with new and emerging African states make it impossible for us take position against concept of independence as an inalienable right for all dependent peoples. It also clear from context earlier debate on allocation of item that ASAF’s consider their resolution more as declaration of conscience than as operating resolution. Sponsorship, which includes Liberia, Iran and Nigeria, is also factor in resolution’s favor, as well as fact it will be cosponsored or supported by Japan and Turkey.

We hope further improvements can be made. USUN therefore should support amendment efforts along lines suggested your 1548, basing final formulations of various paragraphs your 1560 [and 1570.] We believe advantage this course of action two-fold: 1) it would improve resolution; and 2) it would also help prevent inevitable Soviet-inspired amendments from being accepted by present sponsors. We are particularly concerned Soviets will succeed in eliminating such Bandung language as “end of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations” in operative paragraph 1 and “the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation” in the first declaratory paragraph. Counter pressure from West designed prevent such Soviet tactics from succeeding therefore essential.

For the same reasons, the Department believes USUN should continue to urge Japan and Turkey to join list of cosponsors if they have not already done so. Selected Latin Americans might also be approached with a view to having their cosponsorship made contingent upon acceptance our amendments.

Dept considers effort should be made secure additional amendment designed bring language of resolution into line with Charter provisions. Wherever feasible, words “self-government or” should be included before “independence.” Rationale for this change is that this accords with Charter language and that there are areas which clearly do not desire and are not capable of independent national life—British Cameroons and the Virgin Islands for example—but which should not be deprived of attainment of self-governing status.

Dillon

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 321.4/11–2860. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Tron; cleared with Gerig, Sullivan, Williamson, Penfield, and Ludlow and in substance with Monsma; and approved by Bohlen who signed for the Acting Secretary. Repeated to London, Paris, and Lisbon.
2. Telegrams 804 and 837 are printed as Documents 237 and 239, respectively. The other telegrams, dated November 25–28, reported on aspects of and discussions about the colonial item. (Department of State, Central Files, 321.4/11–2360 through 321.4/11–2860)
3. Regarding telegram 1542, see footnote 2, above. For text of the Afro-Asian draft resolution, which differed only slightly from the text transmitted to the Department in telegram 1542 and which was adopted without change by the General Assembly, see U.N. General Assembly Resolution 1514, U.N. doc. A/4684.