183. Telegram From the Mission at the United Nations to the Department of State1
Delga 358. Re: membership. I met with Nutting (UK) at his request, and in response to his query, I informed him of the substance of the conversation which Rankin had with Yeh, pointing out this was an interim reply, and that we have not as yet received a firm reply to our representation at the highest level.
Nutting reported that [name deleted] has instructions giving him discretion on his vote on Outer Mongolia, but he does not wish to be put into a position of casting an abstention which would be the deciding vote.
Nutting agreed with me that if Martin does not insist upon interpreting his resolution to mean 18 and is willing to resist the Soviet amendment on the grounds it is not within the spirit of the Canadian proposal, our bargaining power would be improved with the Soviets.
Nutting said it was desirable to have another round with the Soviets—“the earlier the better otherwise it will become obvious to the Russians that the Chinese veto is holding us up.” In the meeting we should try to make it clear that support for Outer Mongolia is not forthcoming, Nutting said.
It was agreed that Nutting and I would try to meet with Pearson today to attempt persuade Canadians to inform Soviets their amendment contrary to spirit of Canadian resolution and to get Canadians to resist Soviet amendment.
It was also agreed that we should meet with the Soviets on Monday. (It was not possible by close of work today to meet with Pearson.) We believe this would give Pearson time to work on this matter. We would let it be known beforehand that there will be another meeting with the Soviets in order to take some of the pressure off moving ahead on Monday in the ad hoc committee. Dixon said he thought it was important that the consultations [Page 398] among the Big Four are not left in their present status. He felt that since we had last met with the Soviets at their request, it would be well if we took the initiative and demonstrated our desire to continue to consult on trying to find a solution.
Conversation then focused on the Soviet amendment. Dixon expressed view that we could get a bigger vote against the Soviet amendment as a whole, rather than on individual applicants in a country-by-country vote, because it is clearly a package. I said if the Canadians are willing to resist the Soviet amendment I would see merit in changing our strategy regarding separate votes on individual applicants.
I stressed once again the explosive effects in the Atlantic Alliance, and the UN itself, of a Chinese veto about which we are greatly concerned. Nutting agreed, and at the same time he said he felt it would be difficult to organize abstentions on Outer Mongolia in the SC and negative votes in the GA. He pointed out, for example, that of the two LA’s on the Council, one is a co-sponsor of the Canadian resolution and the other is chairman of the Good Offices Committee.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/11–2555. Secret; Priority.↩