206. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China1
340. Your 516. Transmit following message from Secretary to President Chiang:
“The President has discussed with me your reply of December 3 to his second letter2 regarding pending candidacy of 18 countries for membership in the United Nations. The President has asked me to inform you of his disappointment and profound concern at the continued prospect of your use of the veto in the impending Security Council vote on the membership question.
“A question is raised in the second paragraph of your letter as to whether something more might be done to have the application of Outer Mongolia dropped or its consideration technically postponed. The possibility of such a solution has been fully explored by U.S. representatives to no avail. While no one can predict with confidence the course of events in the Security Council when this item comes up, there is every indication that no maneuver along this line would be successful.
“It is our considered judgment that a Chinese veto on this membership issue would play squarely into the hands of our worst enemies and jeopardize the position we have jointly striven to maintain.”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/12–455. Secret; Niact. Drafted by McConaughy and signed for the Secretary by Robertson. A typewritten notation on the source text indicates it was cleared in draft by the Secretary.↩
- See Documents 200 and 188.↩