170. Telegram From the Mission at the United Nations to the Department of State1
Delga 314. Eyes only—for the Secretary and Wilcox from Lodge. Re membership. Following is my latest evaluation of the membership situation:
It has become clear that the Chinese Nationalists will definitely veto Outer Mongolia unless we prevent it. T.F. Tsiang made an appointment and called on me yesterday to tell me of this (Delga 3112). This morning he telephoned me and after I had explained to him at some length that a veto by them would gravely endanger their whole position here and would make it altogether probable that they would no longer be here next year, he simply said: “That can’t be helped”.
- 1.
- For this reason I suggest an Eisenhower approach to Chiang Kai-shek to prevent a Chinese Nationalist veto on Outer Mongolia, whether by itself or as part of a package.
- 2.
- If in spite of all our efforts Nationalist China is determined definitely to veto Outer Mongolia, then it seems that we should not have a meeting of the Security Council and should simply try to stall the whole thing along and let it evaporate if possible, difficult though this will be. I was encouraged today at the Soviet lunch to find in response to a question of mine that Kuznetsov and the Russians appeared to agree that unless there was advance agreement among the five permanent members a meeting of the Security Council should not be held. Evidently the Soviets have not yet realized the potential embarrassment of our position.
- 3.
- If on the other hand we can be assured that the Chinese Nationalists will not use the veto, I think we have a good chance of getting away with the 17 nation deal and in that case we should re-examine [Page 380] my proposal of yesterday (Delga 3093) with its tactic of the United States putting in a 17 nation proposal so as to get it first on the agenda and put the Soviets on the defensive.