Office of the Historian

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

New York, November 23, 1971, 0202Z.

4444. SYG Succession—Herrera Candidacy.

1.
During luncheon with MisOffs PermReps Espinosa (Colombia) and Molina (Costa Rica) raised question of SYG succession, and Herrera candidacy as one aspect of this question. Espinosa did most of speaking, using measured, detached tone throughout. Both PermReps said question was now most urgent, and, while most members of UN realized issue had first to be resolved by five permanent members of SC and then by SC as a whole, it was of burning interest to all members. Insofar as LA group was concerned, Herrera candidacy, and its apparent progress until it was shot down by US, had encouraged widespread hopes of seeing a Latin American in the job. Espinosa said that he was personally good friend of Herrera’s, as was his president, and he considered Herrera well qualified to hold the job. However, he could understand that under present circumstances US would not be able to support a candidate put forward by Chilean Govt, particularly at very moment when Chileans were entertaining Castro. Molina said Espinosa had exactly explained his own views.
2.
Espinosa went on to say that US should anticipate continued Chilean efforts to press Herrera candidacy. Chileans would redouble their efforts to secure Sov and PRC support for him, in hope that US would finally have to veto or accept him if all other candidates run into either Sov or PRC opposition. Espinosa thought that US would be well advised to consider putting together list of alternative LA candidates, and he said we should not have any trouble finding ten or even twenty names of distinguished Latinos whom we could offer for SC consideration. This would demonstrate validity of our claim that our attitude on Herrera candidacy was not manifestation of an anti-LA attitude.
Bush
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 302, Agency Files, USUN, Vol. VIII. Secret; Exdis. Repeated to Bogota, San Jose, and Santiago.↩