Hickerson–Murphy–Key files, lot 58 D 33, “Membership”
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Key)
Dear Dave: This confirms my conversation with you of Sunday, March 14.
At the Caracas Conference, Ambassador Belaunde of Peru asked me to obtain instructions from my Government on the subject of the United States position on the admission of Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria to the United Nations. He said specifically that he was not proposing that Outer Mongolia or Albania be admitted, but felt that it might be possible to make an advantageous arrangement as regards the admission of other countries if we would consent to the admission of Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria.
I talked to the Secretary about it, and he said that he imagined that Belaunde had in mind the admission of Italy. The Secretary also, clearly inferred to me that he might not be averse to a deal which could be really advantageous to the United States in securing the admission of a substantial number of free states in exchange for the admission of a few communist ones.
I desire to know therefore what the present position of the U.S. Government is on this subject. If we propose to adhere without deviation to the policy of the previous Administration, then I would like to be informed. I am inclined to hope that this would not be the case.
If it is our position that we would be willing to enter a trade providing the trade is advantageous I suggest we might tell Ambassador [Page 988] Belaunde that if he is able to promote an arrangement which is clearly advantageous we would be interested in taking a look at it.
Ambassador Belaunde expects to be back in New York by the first of April, and I would hope to have instructions from you well in advance of that time.
Faithfully yours,