Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXX, China

205. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations¹

Washington, November 11, 1966, 5:40 p.m.

83599. For Goldberg.

1. We commend you for skillful manner in which you are pursuing delicate conversations on complex and difficult Chinese representation question.

2. We fully endorse your statement to Chileans that: (1) Important Question Resolution must be upheld; (2) Albanian Resolution must be rejected; and (3) we should try isolate and deflect Canadian proposal by achieving common agreement on Study Committee approach.

3. We know you appreciate fully how essential it is to get the Important Question Resolution introduced promptly as maximum protection and are glad you plan wait no later than tomorrow. Scenario along above lines might help ease concern of Japan, Australia, Philippines and GRC regarding Study Committee idea as alternate to Canadian proposal and as way to bulwark support for reaffirmation Important Question Resolution and defeat Albanian Resolution.

4. You will have noted telegram from McConaughy in which he makes some concerned suggestions regarding special efforts which may help us with GRC.² We confident you fully agree with these suggestions since in fact you have been proceeding along these lines. We think similar special efforts are also desirable and necessary with Japanese who are showing extreme nervousness. In particular, we would draw your attention to paragraph (c) of Taipei’s 1386³ and Secretary’s comment to Chou yesterday regarding need to put together as promptly as possible current vote counts on propositions likely to be before General Assembly.

5. Regarding Study Committee, we realize that whether it will require a 2/3 vote for adoption or simple majority will be considerably influenced by what substantive material is included in the preamble. As you know, we do not want ultimate solution prejudged as Canadian preamble would do.

6. If Study Committee Resolution is devoid of substance as present Italian text,⁴ we assume only simple majority vote required. We have stated our intention to support the Study Committee idea if the countries interested in pressing it are thereby willing to continue to support Important Question Resolution, oppose Albanian Resolution, and abandon unacceptable Canadian Resolution. However, given great difficulties GRC is having re Study Committee, we believe it undesirable for us to get out in front on this proposal and to lobby for it. We particularly welcome therefore the reluctant dragon posture you have adopted re Study Committee; it has struck just right balance.

7. Indeed, simplest outcome would be for Important Question Resolution to be reaffirmed and Albanian Resolution defeated in the first instance and Study Committee proposal fall by the board for lack of required majority. We would appreciate your views on this.

8. We find interesting your suggestion that perhaps this Committee might be made up of prominent statesmen rather than member government representatives. Group of past GA Presidents would be highly attractive to us. However, we doubt such proposal would prove feasible since obviously list of past Presidents loaded completely on our side. As to member government composition Study Committee, our strong preference would be to stick as close to Credentials Committee ratio of 5–3–1 as possible, though realize composition will be at least as tough a job as your finding on SW African Committee.

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, UN 6 CHICOM. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Sisco, cleared in substance by Bundy, and approved by Sisco.
2. In telegram 1386 from Taipei, November 11, McConaughy urged the importance of convincing the GRC that it was being fully consulted and informed on the Chinese representation issue in order to prevent further deterioration of the atmosphere in Taipei. He suggested daily briefings and consultations with GRC officials in New York, Washington, and Taipei, inclusion of a GRC representative in group meetings in New York whenever possible, and a letter from Rusk to Wei. (Ibid.)
3. Paragraph (c) suggested giving the GRC an assessment of the effect the Canadian resolution or the U.S. study committee proposal would have on the voting on the important question or Albanian resolutions.
4. Telegram 2210 from USUN, November 10, transmitted the text of a draft resolution that the Italian Representative gave to Goldberg on November 9. It stated that the General Assembly, conscious of the importance of the principle of universality of the United Nations to its effectiveness, bearing in mind that China was a founding member of the United Nations, and noting that the People’s Republic of China had attached conditions to its participation in the United Nations, decided to establish a committee of member states to study the situation and make recommendations to the 22d General Assembly. (Department of State, Central Files, UN 6 CHICOM)