Office of the Historian

795.00/1–951: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Indonesia

secret
Washington, January 9, 1951—7 p. m.

697. FYI fol are excerpts pertinent parts conversation Jan 4 at NY on possible steps to be taken in handling Korean case in UN between Amb Gross and Palar.1

Amb Palar stated although there was no question his Govt’s mind who was right in Korea nonetheless we are now confronted with risk involvement 3rd world war. His Govt wanted play and continue play mediatory role and hoped Asia group wld continue play such role. Amb Gross expatiated on theme Sov and Commie objectives were to split up free world in UN and isolate US from rest free world, thus depriving weaker nations protection collective security. Palar stated (1) his Govt wld not agree vote for res condemning Chi Commies aggressors; (2) UN action June 25 having failed “we shld not get into [Page 44] a second failure”; (3) while Indo deeply sided with US nevertheless “they were facing China”, were subj Commie attacks within Indo and above all else wish avoid gen war. Palar stated his Govt therefore felt bound adhere “course of mediation” and admitted that even if new conciliatory attempt failed his Govt wld continue adhere to “course of mediation”.

Gross took strong exception Palar thesis commenting history might well record UN action of June 25 had brought about fundamental change in aggressive designs internatl communism, that it might well have affected their basic timetable and forced internatl communism face much greater risks and heavier commitments in order achieve their aggressive designs in Korea, and that if UN had fallen apart in June by reason inaction, communism wld probably even now be on march in other areas notably SEA. He commented that reference “mediation” seemed almost to set high watermark in success Commie propaganda designed isolate free world from US and that US did not accept thesis there were “3 forces in the world”, i.e. USSR, US and UN. In response Palar limited himself repetition sympathy and friendship which his Govt felt for US.

Acheson
  1. Lambertus Palar, Indonesian Representative at the United Nations.↩