Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, China, Volume XIX

387. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India⁰

Washington, September 9, 1959, 9 p.m.

869. Your 792 repeated London 34.¹ You should seek further interview with Dalai Lama before he returns to Mussoorie and make following points:

1. USG continues to be deeply concerned for welfare of Tibetan people and believes that they entitled have their grievances against Chicom regime fully aired in UNGA.

2. USG is currently consulting with friendly governments regard sponsorship for inscription of Tibetan item on GA agenda and welcomes Dalai’s discussions this subject with Asian missions in New Delhi.

3. In meantime Dalai might wish consider cable urgent written appeal to SYG along lines his recent public appeal with request latter circulate it to UN members.²

4. USG continues strongly believe that wider support can be obtained in UNGA for Tibetan appeal based on Chicom suppression human rights than on aggression.

5. We agree that in reaching decision re possible appearance at UN Dalai Lama would be wise in assuring himself on Indian Government attitude, especially with regard his return to India. (View Nehru’s reported assertion to Dalai Lama that he free take any action he saw fit with respect UN difficult see how GOI could refuse him readmission India following UN trip.) We believe personal appearance at UN would benefit Tibetan cause.

6. Reassure Dalai Lama USG intends strongly oppose admission Communist China to UN and is firmly convinced that all efforts seat Peiping regime at upcoming UNGA will fail.³

FYI. Department instructing our missions in several Asian countries approach governments to which accredited on urgent basis seek their sponsorship inscription item on Tibet.⁴ In meantime should you be approached by your diplomatic colleagues in New Delhi as to US attitude toward Dalai Lama’s appeal to UN stress USG’s belief that UN cannot afford to ignore plight of Tibetans as victims brutal suppression by alien military power. For UN to turn its back on Tibetans would compound their tragedy. We do not accept idea that Tibetans would be better off if appeal by their authentic spokesman, Dalai Lama, were ignored. Even Peiping regime has on occasion shown sensitivity to world opinion. Moreover, must recall that well-intentioned advice of India in 1950 that UN should keep hands off while Tibetans and Chicoms worked out peaceful settlement only ended in present deep suffering of Tibetan people. End FYI.

Dillon

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793B.00/9–459. Secret. Repeated to London and USUN. Drafted by Martin and Michael H. Devlin of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs, cleared by Wilcox and Parsons and in NEA, and approved by Murphy.
1. Document 384.
2. Reference is to a statement released to the press in New Delhi on August 30; text is quoted in telegram 533 to Tokyo, September 8. (Department of State, Central Files, 793B.00/9–859; see Supplement)
3. Telegram 877 from New Delhi, September 10, reported that Brown had seen the Dalai Lama that day and made the points in this telegram. He noted that the Dalai Lama had already anticipated point 3. (Department of State, Central Files, 793B.00/9–1059; see Supplement) The text of a September 9 message from the Dalai Lama to U.N. Secretary General Hammarskjöld is in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1959, pp. 1176–1178.
4. Telegram 553 to Tokyo, also sent to Karachi, Rangoon, Ankara, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, and Phnom Penh; cited in footnote 2 above.