Office of the Historian

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

Washington, October 6, 1959, 8:16 p.m.

1247. Verbatim text. Ambassador should address the following letter to the Dalai Lama over his signature and have it delivered by safe hand:1

“Your Holiness: President Eisenhower has asked me to thank you for your letter to him which was delivered to the American Embassy in New Delhi on September 11, 1959.2 He has asked me to assure you in connection with your appeal addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations that the United States Government welcomes the initiative of Ireland and Malaya in requesting the inscription of an item entitled ‘The Question of Tibet’ on the agenda of the Fourteenth General Assembly. The United States will support inscription of the item and full [Page 790] consideration by the General Assembly of the shocking record of Chinese Communist activities in Tibet.

“Consultations with other United Nations Members on this subject have confirmed our view, made known to you earlier, that wider support can be obtained for a hearing of Tibet’s case if the suppression of human rights aspects of it are stressed rather than matters relating to sovereignty.

“President Eisenhower has asked me to extend to you and the people of Tibet the respect and sympathy of the people and the Government of the United States in your courageous struggle against ruthless oppression. Respectfully yours.”

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793B.00/10–659. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Newlin and Martin; cleared in the White House, by Parsons, and in NEA; and approved by Wilcox.↩
  2. Telegram 1273 from New Delhi, October 8, reported that the letter had been delivered to the Dalai Lama’s representative in New Delhi. (Ibid., 793B.00/10–859)↩
  3. Transmitted in telegram 901 from New Delhi, September 12; it enclosed a copy of the Dalai Lama’s message of September 9 to Hammarskjöld and expressed the hope that the U.S. Government would give its “fullest support” to the Tibetan appeal. (Ibid., 795B.00/9–1259; see Supplement) The signed letter, dated September 11, is filed with a covering memorandum of September 22 from Calhoun to Goodpaster. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File)↩