330/1–2450: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)
40. 1. In view UK position as stated para 6 urtel 72 Jan 24, Dept inclined agree USUN comment in para 2 of reftel to effect that US shld not at expense of broader interests of UN attempt by procedural devices [Page 210] to delay the seating of Chi Commie reps in UN organs. Dept agrees that, at present stage, best course of procedure is to settle problem of Chi representation independently in each UN body.1
2. Dept still feels, however, that this type of issue is sufficiently likely to arise in the future to justify study by GA or IC, although it agrees that such study shld not be undertaken while Chi situation remains in present unresolved state. It may be that one means of preventing hasty action in Comite of Experts on Rau’s proposed SC rule of procedure or other proposals along same line is to hold out possibility of such an overall study. If any steps are to be taken looking toward uniformity of action on representation questions in all UN organs, Dept believes that this shld be done in most broadly representative organ.
3. Re forthcoming mtgs Comite of Experts, Dept does not consider that any new SC rule of procedure is necessary or desirable at this time and agrees with your specific comments on drawbacks of proposed Indian rule, except for doubts indicated above re sub-paras b and c. However, we wld not want to foreclose possibility of GA or IC study in calm, divorced from present China problem, which wld help to avoid in future cases confusion and embarrassment evident in some quarters at present time. In our opinion, Comite might well include in its report to SC statement that GA is more appropriate body than SC to study this type of problem and that GA may wish to consider whether such a study shld be made.
- A useful collection of documents regarding developments on Chinese representation came up in each of the subsidiary organs of the United Nations as they met in the following 6 months or so of 1950. CA Files, Lot 56 D 625, 312.002 Chinese Representation at the U.N. 1950.↩