Office of the Historian

209. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations0

December 5, 1960, 7:30 p.m.

1054. Your 1594.1 Delegation authorized support draft resolution including new target $150 million combined Special Fund and ETAP. It should, however, attempt replace words “not later than for 1962 programmes” by some such phrase as “as soon as possible”. Also suggest deletion words establishing separate targets for two funds in order preserve full right discretion member governments. Delegation should make statement along following lines:

We think ETAP and Special Fund valuable high priority programs. Recognize technical assistance and pre-investment needs great and increasing. Think it reasonable to raise our sights now from $100 million target which UN approaching to $150 million as suggested in resolution. Would hope that governments would increase their contributions, especially those governments whose voluntary contributions fall far below what the contributions would be were they on an assessed basis. Would hope also that contributions be made available in convertible currency so that pooled funds could be used where most economical and effective. For its part, United States Government would continue, subject of course approval Congress, to give full support these programs. Statement should make clear that, by voting for resolution, it is not making commitment to increase its present percentage or dollar pledge.2

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 398.051/12–160. Official Use Only. Drafted by David Wilken, U.N. Adviser in the Bureau of Economic Affairs; cleared by Martin, Bell, Gold, Claxton, Wallner, Kotschnig, and Westfall, and with the Bureau of the Budget; and initialed for the Secretary by Bohlen.↩
  2. Telegram 1594 from USUN, transmitted the text of a draft U.N. General Assembly resolution urging members to increase their contributions to the U.N. specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency. (Ibid.)↩
  3. The General Assembly adopted a slightly revised version of the proposal, Resolution 1529 (XV), on December 15. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, pp. 95–96.↩