501.BC/3–2249: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Mission at the United Nations, in New York

confidential

181. Further to Deptel 168 Mar 161 re Mindszenty case.

Pls advise Alvarez and Gonzalez Fernandez2 (Secret Summary [Page 240] 373, Mar 193) of following further considerations militating in Dept’s view against proposed Cuban action in SC:

1.
Submission this matter to GA by Bolivia brings it before what in our view is appropriate organ of UN for dealing with questions of human rights. It raises question in direct way and makes recourse to SC under artificial cloak of membership unnecessary and undesirable. Such recourse in our view would only complicate case in GA. We do not see reasonable basis for raising question in both organs at this time.
2.
You might wish to point out that in GA there should be opportunity for Cuban and Colombian to make full statements and if desired to assert leadership jointly with Bolivian through, for example, joint resolution.
3.
SC could in substance do no more with reference to Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania than it had done several times before, that is, to register a lack of votes for affirmative recommendation on their applications. This, we believe, ineffective as censure to the satellites. Recommendation to GA that GA should not admit these satellites would raise important constitutional objections in that it might be interpreted as implied affirmation of view championed by Argentina and opposed by almost all other members including US that Assembly can admit a member regardless of SC recommendation. US would be unable to support such recommendation.
4.
We have serious doubts that it would be possible to avoid reconsideration by SC of all applications at this time if satellite applications are brought up.4
Acheson
  1. Not printed. It instructed that Cuban U.N. Representative Alvarez and Brazilian Representative Muniz be informed that the United States diplomatic notes aimed at initiating the Balkan peace treaty procedures would probably be delivered during the week of March 28. The Department hoped that the information would influence Alvarez to abandon any action in the Security Council regarding the Mindszenty case (501.BC/3–1149).
  2. Alberto González-Fernández, Colombian Alternate Representative to the United Nations and the Security Council.
  3. Telegram 373, March 19, from New York, transmitted Daily Classified Summary No. 52 of important events at the United Nations. It reported, inter alia, that González-Fernández proposed that an earlier General Assembly resolution regarding new members of the United Nations should be revised to eliminate Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania from the list of applicants to be considered by the Security Council (501.A Summaries/3–1949).
  4. Telegram 407, March 24, from New York, not printed, reported that Cuban Representative Alvarez had informed the United States Mission that he would not bring up the Mindszenty case during his term as President of the Security Council in the month of March (501.BC/3–2449).