Secretary’s Memoranda: Lot 53 D 444
Memorandum of Conversation, by Edwin A. Plitt, Adviser to the United States Delegation to the United Nations General Assembly
Subject: Possibility of Israel Establishing a Legation at Peiping
| Participants: | The Secretary |
| His Excellency M. Moshe Sharett, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs |
During Mr. Sharett’s conversation today with the Secretary on other matters1 he at one point said that he wished to communicate something to him in strictist confidence and explained that it had been suggested to Israel from American sources that it would be helpful if Israel were to set up a legation in Peiping. Mr. Sharett alluded somewhat vaguely to United States official quarters in this respect and said that Israel was giving very careful thought to it. He added that if the establishment of a legation took place, he felt that it might be of much help to the Western cause, of which Israel feels itself an organic part. He reiterated what he had indicated in another part of his conversation, viz: “Russia speaks to Israel but not to the United States”. He then repeated his previous assurance to the Secretary, not to be concerned over what Israel does, indicating that it would be for the common good. The Secretary made no comment.
- For a record of the conversation, see vol. v, p. 935.↩