246. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1
Washington, January 29, 1968, 6:30
p.m.
Mr. President:
Secretary Rusk asked Joe Sisco to come and talk to me about the following:
- 1.
- The Secretary General, through Ralph Bunche, has suggested that the Security Council, by means of SC “consensus,” call on Thant to provide good offices. This same proposal has been transmitted by the Secretary General to the USSR simultaneously through Nesterenko. Goldberg is unaware how much prior discussion, if any, the Secretary General has had with the Soviets.
- 2.
- Thant proposes that the attached “consensus”2 be adopted by the Security Council. As you note, the Secretary General would “be invited to take the initiative and offer his good offices in whatever manner he may consider appropriate and helpful.” This would be said in the context of reducing the prevailing tension and finding an acceptable solution. If the consensus is adopted, the Secretary General would send Deputy Foreign Minister of Rumania, Mircea Malitza, to Pyongyang. Thant has already discussed this proposal with the Rumanians who are agreeable to sending Malitza on this mission.
- 3.
- Secretary Rusk has already
told Arthur Goldberg that:
- —he agrees that we could not oppose this kind of a proposal if it develops in the context of the Security Council discussions;
- —however, we need time to see how the direct contacts at Panmunjom go to assure that such an initiative at the UN not cross with our efforts at Panmunjom;
- —he react positively to the Secretary General, but tell him candidly that we do need time and that we do want to see how the bilateral contact progresses before making any final determination on the desirability of a UN intermediary going forward;
- —if the UN intermediary is sent to Pyongyang, he should discuss with the Secretary General the possibility of sending someone else to the Republic of Korea and to the United States to also discuss this matter.
You may wish to discuss this matter with Secretary Rusk on the telephone and consider it further at tomorrow’s lunch.