Office of the Historian

310.2/7–8154

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Murphy)

confidential
[Washington,] July 31, 1954.
  • Participants:
  • Sir Pierson Dixon,UK Representative at the United Nations
  • Robert Murphy, Deputy Under Secretary of State

At dinner July 31 at the British Embassy, I had opportunity for a long conversation with Sir Pierson Dixon.…

[Here follows discussion of the Chinese representation question; see page 750.]

We also discussed United States support of Prince Wan as a candidate for the presidency of the Ninth General Assembly. Dixon said quite flatly he thought we were wrong. This is an European year, in his opinion, and he said there is a growing tendency to believe, as a result of United States support of Madame Pandit last year, that the Americans have a tendency to slight Europe in favor of the Asiatics. He agreed that Prince Wan would be fully qualified from the standpoint of ability to act as President of General Assembly and said that he understood our reasons for promising Prince Wan our vote. He hoped, and in fact said he was confident, that Van Kleffens would be elected.

[Here follows discussion of another matter.]