55. Telegram 76900 From the Department of State to the Mission in Geneva, April 24, 1973, 1834Z.1 2

TELEGRAM
Department of State
076900

R 241834 Z APR 73

FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION GENEVA
INFO AMEMBASSY SAIGON
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USDEL JEC PARIS

STATE 076900

E. O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PFOR, UN, WHO, VS

SUBJECT: POSSIBLE PRG ATTEMPT TO JOIN WHO

1. SINCE THE ARGUMENT FOR DENYING OBSERVER STATUS OR A LIAISON OFFICE AT THE UN TO THE PRG RESTED HEAVILY ON THE FACT THAT PRG WAS NOT A MEMBER OF ANY UN SPECIALIZED AGENCY, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT IT MAY NOW ATTEMPT TO BECOME A MEMBER OF ONE OR MORE SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE CONCERNED SPECIFICALLY, ALTHOUGH NOT SOLELY, WITH WHO.

2. WE ARE AWARE THAT TIME FOR DIRECT APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP TO WHO BY PRG THIS YEAR IS PAST, BUT REQUEST YOU MAKE AN EFFORT TO LEARN OF ANY PRG PLANS TO ATTEMPT TO JOIN WHO (OR ANY OTHER UN SPECIALIZED AGENCY). IF SUCH AN ATTEMPT IS IN THE OFFING, YOU SHOULD POINT OUT TO DIR GEN THAT THE PRG IS NOT A STATE AND HAS NO VALID CLAIM TO LEGITIMACY. IT DOES NOT HAVE A CAPITAL, CONTROLS BUT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION, AND HAS NONE OF THE OUTWARD MANIFESTATIONS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT. SUGGEST YOU ALSO MAKE CLEAR THE STRONGLY NEGATIVE VIEW USG WOULD TAKE OF PRG MEMBERSHIP IN THE WHO.

3. WE NOTE POSSIBILITY UNDER RULE 12 OF WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY RULES OF PROCEDURE THAT DURING OPENING DAYS OF WHA A MEMBER COULD PROPOSE INSCRIPTION OF QUESTION OF PRG MEMBERSHIP IN ASSEMBLY’S AGENDA. US DEL TO 26TH WHA BEING INSTRUCTED FIRMLY OPPOSE ANY EFFORTS HAVE SUCH ITEM INSCRIBED. ROGERS

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files. Secret. Drafted by Rosenberg on April 23; cleared by Stull and McNutt, and in IO/HDC (in draft) and EA/VN; and approved by Sullivan. Repeated to Saigon, USUN, and the Delegate to the JEC in Paris.
  2. The Department instructed the Mission to discourage any attempt by the Provisional Revolutionary Government to gain international stature by securing membership status in the World Health Organization or some other U.N. specialized agency.