Office of the Historian

210. Telegram 7681 From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State1

November 13, 1975, 1800Z.

7681. Subj: GOC Note on US Vote on Chilean Human Rights Resolution.

1. Following is informal Embassy translation of third person note (signed by FonMin Carvajal) handed to Ambassador by Carvajal Nov 13.

2. Begin text: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to refer to the vote cast on Nov 11 in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly concerning the alleged violation of human rights in Chile.

3. With great surprise and disappointment the Government of Chile has noted that the delegation of the United States cast its vote on this occasion in favor of a draft resolution which from any point of view is unjust and is designed to support a biased and arbitrary report prepared by a working group of the Human Rights Commission. The text approved the committee, with the favorable vote of the United States, represents a clear intervention in the internal affairs of a member state, violates the principle of the juridical equality of states, and plays havoc with the most basic norms of law. In addition, it is manifestly discriminatory since there are several dozen countries, members of the United Nations, which are accused of violating human rights; the United Nations, however, has chosen to concern itself only with the Chilean case. Further, the bias with which the Third Committee has operated [Page 578] becomes even more evident when it is considered that the text of the approved draft was printed and circulated before the Chilean representative was able to present the views of his country.

4. In any event, the vote of the United States delegation is not consistent with the excellent relations which exist between the United States and the Chilean Governments, nor with the cooperation which should exist between both delegations to the General Assembly on matters which affect the interests of our respective countries as well as on those of a general nature, as was shown in the case of the matter which concerned the Washington Government and was the subject of your Embassy’s note 315 of October 22 (Chilean position on Zionism Resolution).

5. Therefore, the Government of Chile expresses its fervent hope that when the resolution approved by the Third Committee is considered by the plenary of the General Assembly, the United States delegation will reconsider its vote. Complimentary close. Santiago, November 12, 1975. End text.

Popper

  1. Summary: The Chilean Government expressed dismay at the U.S. Government’s vote in favor of a U.N. resolution criticizing human rights practices in Chile.

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750395–1016. Limited Official Use. Sent for information to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. In a November 13 conversation with Carvajal, who expressed dismay at the U.S. vote in the United Nations, Popper suggested that the junta “consider carefully what it might do to get out of its present dead end.” (Telegram 7683 from Santiago, November 13; ibid., D750395–1032) On December 22, after a meeting with Pinochet, Huerta held a press briefing and stated that the U.S. vote for the resolution could be explained by domestic U.S. politics and the personality of the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. (Telegram 8635 from Santiago, December 23; ibid., D750446–0395)

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