310.2/10–2251: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
514. Re Chinese representation: UK preoccupation with Iran has made it impossible for us to raise Deptel 180 with them until now. Jebb having gone home Saturday, Bolte1 gave substance of reftel to [Page 267] Coulson2 today. Coulson reacted quickly and powerfully against alternative A. He said this would be in effect substantive decision for UK; he thought under their standing instructions they would have to vote against it. He urged sticking to our established drill as in the past; procedural motion to postpone consideration sine die. Bolte argued advantages of alternative A but Coulson was notably unmoved. He thought UK would have difficulty even with alternative B since sixth GA might conceivably last a year and they would not wish to freeze the position for that long. He said he did not in fact suppose they would raise question themselves even if there were cease-fire in Korea, at least until they were confident of majority support.
On our suggestion that motion be made at outset session before any substantive proposals are introduced, he thought it difficult to raise until Russians introduced proposal to change occupants of Chinese chair. He preferred waiting for question to be raised and then moving postponement of consideration.
He said UK would also find great difficulty with explicit statement that Chinese Nationalist reps would remain seated. He thought this was so clearly effect on motion to postpone changing representation that he could not understand why we wanted specific statement. He thought if Assembly decided to postpone consideration there would be no problem in disposing of additional Soviet motions, as in Credentials Comite and in plenary consideration of its report. He recalled Russians did not in fact raise issue continually once they were defeated in fifth session.3
He said he would report our views. Then he would have to consult further in Paris.
Department please relay GADel, Paris.4
- Charles G. Bolté, Adviser on Security Council Affairs, USUN.↩
- J. E. Coulson, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations.↩
- Marginal notation referring to the last sentence of this paragraph reads: “but 5th GA put damper on with Spec Comite of 5th GA”.↩
- Repeated to London and Paris in circular airgram, October 24, 8:30 a.m.↩