693.95/1–1051: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
priority
Delga 502. Korea. Re paragraphs 5 and 6 of last revisions of draft resolution telephoned to USUN,1 we are not entirely clear as to their purpose and have some doubts that they reflect correctly our policy.
We fear that as to paragraph 5–a, our friends will be concerned [Page 52] that we are placing upon them a new moral responsibility to lend new assistance to the UC in meeting Chinese aggression. Furthermore, by the words “achievement of its objectives” they may fear that we are attempting to imply that the UN should seek its political objectives by the use of force, which was clearly not intended by the October 7 resolution of the Assembly.
As to paragraph 5–b, the facts are that few if any nations other than the US have refrained from giving any assistance to China; in other words, they have not cut off normal commercial and other contacts. Our friends may ask whether we wish them to continue their present policies or to change them.
We think resolution should reaffirm authority to continue collective measures in Korea and should embody principle that additional measures are contemplated but that their nature remains for subsequent GA recommendation. We understand that it is not Department’s intention to seek new authority in the resolution for the UC or the member nations to take action against the Chinese outside Korea. We assume that the present military actions against the Chinese in Korea are fully authorized by implication by the SC resolution of June 27. It would be politically useful of course for the Assembly to reaffirm explicitly the existing authority for present type of actions if this can be done without creating new difficulties for our friends. We suggest that paragraph 5 might be revised along the following lines.
“Affirms the intention of the UN to continue its action to meet the aggression in Korea and recommends that all states and authorities continue to assist such action in Korea under the UC pending further GA recommendations regarding action against the aggressors.”
A paragraph of this nature would give us explicit authority and backing to continue the fight in Korea while at the same time making it clear that any decision to extend the area of the military conflict would be reserved for a future decision of the Assembly. It would also embody in the resolution a decision in principle that additional appropriate collective measures will be studied.
In the light of the above comments, we suggest the following changes in the draft resolution: the first four paragraphs the same; the remainder of resolution to read as follows:
“5. Affirms the intention of the UN to continue its action to meet the aggression in Korea and recommends that all states and authorities continue to assist such action in Korea under the UC pending further GA recommendations regarding action against the aggressors.
6. Requests the CMC as a matter of urgency to consider what additional measures should be taken in furtherance of the purposes of this resolution and to make recommendations to the GA thereon.
[Page 53]7. Calls upon all states and authorizes to refrain from giving any encouragement or assistance to the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China in its aggression in Korea.
8. Affirms that it continues to be the policy of the UN to bring about a cessation of hostilities in Korea with a view to peaceful settlement and the achievement of UN objectives in Korea by peaceful means, and requests [——] at any suitable opportunity to use its good offices to this end.”
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At this time, the Department of State had under consideration two draft U.S. resolutions for presentation to the First Committee of the U.N. General Assembly. The drafts were quite similar except that one stated specifically that the People’s Republic of China had committed aggression in Korea, while the other avoided use of the word “aggression” and said that the PRC had committed “armed attack” against the U.N. forces in Korea. The language of telegram Delga 502 indicates that the former draft was the one under reference, and paragraphs 5 and 6 are here printed:
“The General Assembly …
“Calls upon all states and authorities to continue
- “(a) to lend every assistance to the UN in the achievement of its objectives in Korea, and
- “(b) to refrain from giving any assistance to the aggressors in Korea;
“Requests the Collective Measures Committee as a matter of urgency to consider what additional measures should now be employed to meet this aggression, and to make recommendations to the GA thereon;…” (795.00/1–1051)
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