160. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations1
793. Request you see U Thant soonest and convey sense of great dismay which Dept feels at his statement to SC September 25.2 From our [Page 318] vantage point, he has not only given Greek Cypriots the victory that they sought in vain to achieve in a resolution but he has sacrificed fundamental prerogatives of office of SYG entrusted to him by GA. As he must well understand, efforts (instigated by Rolz-Bennett) to get reference in resolution to Makarios propaganda proposals contained his September 15 communication aborted because members refused to lend themselves to such partisan exercise.3 US Del repeatedly indicated we would not support resolution which made explicit reference to Makarios proposals unless SYG’s hand strengthened. Now we find SYG elevates and dignifies these proposals in his statement to SC and suggests UNFICYP commander cooperate with Makarios in seeking their implementation. Turks are obviously disturbed at this, and we do not blame them. At same time, SYG said nothing about his intention to ask Thimayya to discuss with parties concerned ways to implement para. 232 of his report.4
In addition, we are deeply disappointed that SYG retreated from his announced intention contained in para. 231 of his report to defray UNFICYP expenses from regular UN funds if voluntary contributions inadequate. We find it incomprehensible that SYG should retreat in face of opposition of the minority non-contributors to the UN on a principle involving fundamental authority of SYG and UN to undertake peacekeeping operations in an emergency. In doing so he has offered serious rebuff to supporters of a strong UN capable of acting when confronted by emergencies. In effect he has disavowed support by those who have spoken up in defense of SYG’s competence to deal with unforeseen contingencies on his own authority. We note, for example, that Morocco spoke precisely to this point in debate.
Request you inform SYG in clear terms that USG deeply disappointed at this exercise. If this reflects attitude to be expected of him in confrontation which now approaching between the supporters and non-supporters of UN on Article 19, we are frank to say that we think he will preside over disintegration of UN as effective instrument for peacekeeping and will assure its transformation into nothing but a debating society.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 CYP. Confidential; Limdis. Drafted by Buffum; cleared by Jernegan, Cleveland, and EUR; and approved by Ball. Repeated to Nicosia, Ankara, Athens, and London.↩
- For extracts (U.N. Doc. S/PV.1159), see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1964, p. 595.↩
- Reference is to Resolution 194 (1964) (U.N. Doc. S/5987), adopted unanimously by the Security Council on September 25; for text, see ibid., p. 594. An extract of Makarios’ September 15 message to Secretary-General Thant (U.N. Doc. S/5950/Add.2, Annex) is printed ibid., p. 593.↩
- The Secretary-General’s report covered the period from June 8 to September 8; he submitted it to the Security Council on September 10 (U.N. Doc. S/5950 and Corr. 1). For extracts, see ibid., pp. 590–591.↩