Office of the Historian

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

New York, December 21, 1971, 0250Z.

5157. Subj: SYG—SC Second Ballot December 20. Ref: (A) USUN 5149; (B) State 227889.2

1.
SC met for second round of balloting on SYG afternoon December 20. SC Pres Taylor-Kamara announced procedure as recommended by Five December 13 and list of nine candidates as reported reftel A, with addition of Amerasinghe (latter proposed by Japan at Amerasinghe’s request, according to Japanese del).
2.

SC voted one by one on separate ballots through list of ten candidates. Results announced at end as follows:

  • Amerasinghe (4–6–5); Djermakoye (5–8–2);
  • Herrera (7–6–2); Jakobson (9–5 (including one veto)–1);
  • Jarring (7–4–4); Ortiz de Rozas (10–3 (one veto)–2);
  • Rahnema (3–8–4); Ramphal (3–7–5);
  • Valdes (7–5–3); Waldheim (11–2 (one veto)–2).

We voted per instructions reftel B.

3.
SC Pres required to announce negative votes by permanent members only in those cases where candidates obtained at least nine votes. However, we subsequently learned authoritatively that each of [Page 442] ten candidates had at least one negative permanent member vote; in some cases, there were as many as four.
4.
Following SC Pres’s request for guidance from SC members on next steps, Kosciusco-Morizet, supported by Malik, recommended 24 hours adjournment to permit consultations and new instructions. Bush was alone in urging one hour suspension prior to third round of balloting. After confused discussion of need to prime GA Pres for GA meeting on SYG Wednesday morning, SC agreed to adjourn SC until 5 PM Tuesday.
5.
Five permanent members to meet 9:30 AM Tuesday.
6.
Finns and Norwegians (Algaard) tell us they have firm assurances that PRC will continue to veto Waldheim to the bitter end.
7.
However, prior to SC meeting Waldheim told Bush Austrians had spoken to Chinese in Peking and were assured that, although PRC felt obliged in first instance to support third world candidate (Herrera), if their preferred candidate could not be elected they would be prepared to support Waldheim on a later ballot. PRC FonOff said this position would be conveyed to PRC del, but that communications with Huang Hua were sometimes slow.
8.
After the meeting Miglioulo (Italy) told us in confidence that Huang Hua had taken essentially the same line in a conversation with him. Miglioulo regretted fact that another vote had not been taken December 20 since it was his impression PRC would have removed veto against Waldheim.
9.
UK del believes Ortiz de Rozas would make better SYG than Waldheim and is considering how to bring pressure to bear on Sovs to choose between Jakobson and Ortiz. UK believes K-M wishes to play kingmaker role and hopes French will work on Sovs, perhaps in addition to Syria and Somalia who presumably also support Ortiz de Rozas.
10.
At Five Power meeting 9:30 AM December 21, we believe we should take position three candidates, no more no less, who obtained nine or more votes should be resubmitted. Sovs may, for tactical reasons, insist on inclusion of Jarring but believe we should resist. PRC might insist on Herrera and K-M on Valdes in which case list cannot be kept to three names but we should make valiant effort. Sovs will make much of the fact that Waldheim in two meetings has proved to be the front runner and has only one veto against him which should now be dropped so that will of majority is not frustrated, etc. At this point it will be interesting to see whether Finns/Norwegians or Austrians/Italians have best information on PRC intentions. (To date: Algaard has proven to be most accurate forecaster of PRC positions.) If PRC yields on Waldheim then he is clearly the next SYG.
11.
On other hand, if PRC sticks to its line that geographic consideration should be taken into account and indicates support for [Page 443] Ortiz in addition to Jakobson, then there is a possibility that Sovs could be brought to swallow Ortiz de Rozas.
12.
Finns here naturally are in a state. They profess dismay that US and UK “let them down” by voting for Waldheim and Ortiz. In spite of repeated probes at all levels, we have not revealed to them how we voted. Nevertheless, their analysis, obtained through the Secretariat, is as follows:
  • Waldheim—four perm members voted yes; PRC vetoed
  • Ortiz—four perm members voted yes; USSR vetoed
  • Jakobson—three perm members voted yes; USSR vetoed; French abstained
  • Jarring—three perm members voted yes; PRC and one unknown vetoed.
13.
Finns are worried that we will make deal with Sovs and PRC at the expense of Jakobson.
14.
Pursuant State 227889, after SC meeting Bush had private talk with Malik. Latter reiterated his “your beloved child is dead” theme.
15.
Incidentally, French were furious when reproached by Finns for their suspected negative vote on December 17. French swear they abstained and Finns now accept this.
Bush
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 303, Agency Files, USUN, Vol. IX. Secret; Priority; Nodis.↩
  2. Documents 244 and 245.↩