369. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson1

SUBJECT

  • Meeting at 5:30 PM-Kashmir and 20th UN General Assembly

At 5:30 today you will be meeting with Rusk, Goldberg, Sisco, and me to discuss Kashmir and issues that are likely to come up at the 20th UN General Assembly, which opens tomorrow.2

1.
Kashmir—It is likely that Goldberg will want to give you a current report on and talk about Kashmir. In fact, this item may take up a large part of the meeting.
2.

Goldberg’s Opening Speech on September 23.3 Goldberg may want to discuss with you the themes of his opening speech to the General Assembly (e.g. Great Society; peace keeping; disarmament; economic development) and especially the following two proposals.

(a)
Forthcoming noises on certain disarmament questions—e.g., nuclear safeguards for non-nuclear countries; destruction of nuclear weapons; a World Disarmament Conference which would include the Chinese Communists. In this latter regard, there are those who would argue that soft noises to the Communist Chinese on the heels of a Chinese threat to the Indians would constitute poor timing.
(b)
Proposals to channel more aid through the UN mechanism—e.g., an expansion of the Mekong idea.

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Note: In the event Goldberg does raise these specific proposals in the context of his opening speech, you may want to discourage Goldberg from making any bold specific proposals which could be more usefully made by you from either an appropriate Washington or New York forum. On disarmament, I fear there is not much we can wisely add to our present position. On AID we must be careful to protect your right to review next year’s programs and reach your own decisions. If you are pressed for time, Goldberg says you can stop with these matters. If you want to hear further discussion, it will probably be on the subjects as follows:

3.
Presidency of the General Assembly—State will probably want to report to you on the status of the fight between Fanfani (Italy) and Popovic (Yugoslavia) for the Presidency of the General Assembly. The latest word today is that Popovic has withdrawn and that the way has been cleared for Fanfani.
4.
Vietnam—While not inscribed as a General Assembly agenda item, State will probably want to red-flag the Vietnam issue, which will provide an important backdrop to the General Assembly session. In this regard, Chinese threats and/or moves, against India can be expected to mitigate the heat we receive on Vietnam.
5.
Chinese Representation—State may want to report to you that we are safe on this issue for another year. Goldberg, while agreeing, may make the point that we have no better than a 50–50 chance to get a simple majority against the entrance of the Communist Chinese and that the psychological impact of losing a simple majority could conceivably make it tough for us to get the necessary votes to uphold the “important question” principle.
6.

ApartheidGoldberg may make a pitch on doing something in the near future to indicate that the U.S. Government is firmly against apartheid—4 e.g., announce publicly a voluntary program to curb U.S. investment in South Africa. If he does, Rusk will probably point out a number of reservations-that moving into the human rights field with sanctions poses tough problems with regard to such other areas as Eastern Europe; that it probably wouldn’t work; and that the South Africans could probably retaliate meaningfully in one way or another.

While my own sympathies lie with Goldberg on this issue I do not think we should consider anything drastic until later on when we have had a chance to take the UN temperature and when the International [Page 809] Court of Justice finishes with the related South West Africa issue in the spring of 1966.

7.
Miscellaneous Issues—Rusk and Goldberg may want to take the opportunity to brief you on such miscellaneous items as UN financing and UN outer space problems (e.g. World Conference on Outer Space).
McG.B.
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, United Nations, Vol. 2. Confidential.
  2. According to the President’s Daily Diary, he met in the Oval Office from 5:58 to 6:42 p.m. with Rusk, Bundy, Goldberg, McNamara, Ball, and Moyers. (Johnson Library) No record of the conversation was found.
  3. For text, see Department of State Bulletin, October 11, 1965, pp. 578–587.
  4. The section of Goldberg’s speech dealing with this question had been subjected to some editing within the Department of State. Komer supported, and President Johnson approved, the modifications. (Memorandum from Komer to Johnson, September 22; Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, United Nations, Vol. 2)