317. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State1
New York, December 19, 1970,
0133Z.
3752. Subj: Chirep in SC.
- 1.
- With the accession of five new SC members on Jan 1, we must anticipate that GRC credentials will be raised at first meeting in 1971. This, of course, is an annual contingency (which has not materialized since 1968) but it appears likelier to arise this year in light of vote on Albanian res and election of Somalia. We have already heard reports Yazid (Algeria) is agitating that UN take cognizance of this year’s Chirep vote by rejecting GRC credentials in SC.
- 2.
- On this question, the changed composition works in our favor: Argentina vice Colombia, Belgium vice Finland, Italy vice Spain, Japan vice Nepal, Somalia vice Zambia. We have a solid base in SC of six members which support our position on Chirep: US, China, Argentina, Japan, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone. If we can persuade UK, Italy and Belgium (all of which support IQ) to join us in procedural moves to defeat any effort to bring matter up, we will have procedural majority of nine votes.
- 3.
- Obviously, such procedural tactics must not prejudice position of anyone on substance.
- 4.
- We currently approaching UK, Italy and Belgium on above. President of SC for Jan, Sir Colin Crowe, has referred previous contingency plans worked out between USUN and UKUN to London for approval which he expects will be forthcoming.
- 5.
- On Dec 18, Amb
Phillips approached Italian
Acting PermRep Migliuolo. Latter had done considerable research in
depth and said Vinci currently
in Rome and would bring back instructions around Jan 1. Main
contingencies discussed with Migliuolo were: (A) If Somalia and/or
Syria request change in long-established practice of approving only
credentials of five new non-perms, objection would be made with
object of forcing member seeking change to submit formal proposal.
Hopefully any such proposal would get only six votes: Burundi,
France, Poland, Somalia, Syria, USSR. (B) If challenge is submitted to Chinese
credentials or a vote on them is requested, President should rule
consideration would require agenda item. President would submit
challenge to the vote and hopefully it would receive only above six
votes. (C) Somalia and Syria might request SC meeting for purpose of approving
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credentials and submit agenda item to
this effect. In this case, we should agree to meeting but seek to
defeat adoption of agenda item (nine votes needed for inscription).
(D) In event item nevertheless inscribed, we should seek nine votes
for following res:
“The Security Council,
“Noting with approval the report by the Secretary General on ‘practice of the Security Council regarding the credentials of its members’ of 26 January 1968 (S/8365),
“Decides to take no further action at this time to consider the credentials of any of its members.”
- 6.
- While there are other contingencies, we stressed to Migliuolo that main thing we were seeking was commitment to cooperate in tactics which would keep SC from becoming embroiled in major controversy over matter which should be decided in GA where all members present. Migliuolo seemed personally sympathetic and said he had pointed out prior to Chirep debate in GA that a no vote on IQ would restrict Italy’s freedom to prevent SC from getting involved in Chirep. Since Italy voted for IQ, Migliuolo seemed to think there was good chance that GOI would agree to cooperate with US in elaborating contingency plans. However, he stressed this view was entirely personal and that decision was up to Rome. He promised to report above approach fully.
- 7.
- Yost and Phillips will see Belgian PermRep Dec 21.
Yost
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, UN 6 CHICOM. Confidential. Repeated to Brussels, London, Rome, and Taipei.↩