Office of the Historian

125. Telegram From the Delegation at the United Nations to the Department of State1

New York, September 27, 1955—11 a.m.

Secto 4. In conversation with Secretary last evening Macmillan raised question of new membership in UN. He said to him there appeared two possibilities: one, to accept the principle of universality which would mean including Albania, Outer Mongolia, etc., the other, to postpone whole question another year. He asked Secretary’s views.

Secretary said US could not agree vote for package deal including such members as Hungary, Albania, Outer Mongolia, etc. He said even if Security Council waived right make recommendations regarding new membership, US was not prepared in any ad seriatum vote on new members in General Assembly to agree in advance to vote for all members in what would in effect be a package deal. Secretary said we are prepared to vote in General Assembly for countries on basis of merits of their application and in particular to vote for the seven countries proposed by Bandung Conference, plus Japan and friendly Western European applications. Secretary added we had given serious consideration to voting for Albania if Soviets [Page 305] agreed to entry of Austria, Italy and Bandung countries plus Japan. Reason for this is Albania does not have outstanding against it any UN or other charge of violating human rights, etc. In other words, it would be easier for us agree to Albania’s inclusion in return for inclusion friendly countries than it would be agree to inclusion of Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria which have violated fundamental human rights, and with which US in particular has serious grievances because of actions these governments.

. . . . . . .

Macmillan then suggested one possible means of handling question was for US, UK and other like-minded countries take position they did not approve veto of new members by Security Council and that therefore they might say that membership question should be referred to General Assembly on basis that each country was to be considered on an individual basis and not on basis of any package or block deal. Macmillan said that in view of lateness of hour, he would not pursue this discussion further but felt problem of new membership was something which we should all be thinking about and be in touch with during coming days of present General Assembly meeting.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/9–2755. Secret; Priority.↩