Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume V, United Nations, 1969–1972

180. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State¹

New York, May 31, 1972, 2339Z.

2001. Subj: Waldheim’s Concern Over US Support for UN.

1. When Bush briefed SYG May 31 on current status of administration’s efforts to avoid having Congress legislate US contribution of 25 percent, SYG expressed appreciation for executive branch’s endeavors.

2. Waldheim then expressed his concern over negative effect caused by the debate in the House and Senate on this question. Waldheim said if US were to cease its support for UN, this would be the beginning of the end for the organization. He understood why US might view UN differently than in its early days when it had only 55 members and Western powers had majority. However, world and organization was different place and UN had useful role to play. It would be a tragedy if organization whose Charter drafted in San Francisco and whose headquarters in US were to become ineffective through lack of US support.

3. Bush then briefly outlined main complaints against UN he heard on Capitol Hill. While there was a real problem vis-à-vis public opinion in the US, Bush pledged that he would do everything possible to maintain US support.

Bush

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 303, Agency Files, USUN, Vol. X. Confidential; Exdis.