Office of the Historian

815/4–254

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Wainhouse)1

[Washington,] April 2, 1954.
  • Subject:
  • Van Kleffens’ Candidacy for Presidency of Ninth General Assembly
  • Participants:
  • Dr. J. H. Van Roijen, Netherlands Ambassador
  • Mr. David Wainhouse (UNA)
  • Mr. Paul W. Jones (UNP)
  • Mr. Ward Allen (EUR)

Ambassador Van Roijen called on Mr. Wainhouse on April 2 to present the attached note announcing Dr. Van Kleffens’ candidacy for the Presidency of the Ninth General Assembly and requesting United States support. Mr. Wainhouse recalled that it was not our practice to commit ourselves this far in advance but assured the Ambassador that we were delighted to know that Dr. Van Kleffens’ hat was in the ring.

The Ambassador said he knew of no other candidates and noted that there has not been a European President since 1946. In response to our query he said that the Dutch were also soliciting support from other Members. He assumed these included the Latin American countries but said he intended to check on this point.

David W. Wainhouse
[Attachment]

The Netherlands Ambassador (Van Roijen) to the Secretary of State

D–3838

The Netherlands Ambassador presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of State and, with reference to previous informal discussions at the Department of State, has the honor to draw the attention of Mr. Dulles to the question of the Chairmanship of the Ninth Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly, to be held in New York next fall.

As the United States Government will be aware, since 1946, the Chairmanship of the General Assembly of the United Nations has been held by the following persons:

[Page 528]
1946 1st General Assembly Spaak (Belgium)
1947 1st Special General Assembly Aranha (Brazil)
1947 2nd General Assembly Aranha (Brazil)
1948 2nd Special General Assembly Arce (Argentina)
1948/49 3rd General Assembly Evatt (Australia)
1949 4th General Assembly Romulo(Philippines)
1950/51 5th General Assembly Entezam (Iran)
1951/52 6th General Assembly Nervo (Mexico)
1952/53 7th General Assembly Pearson (Canada)
1953/54 8th General Assembly Mrs. Lakhsmi Pandit (India)

It appears from this list that the Chairmanship of the United Nations General Assembly has been held on four occasions by representatives of Latin-American countries, thrice by representatives from Asia, twice by representatives of the Commonwealth, while Europe has been allocated the Chairmanship only once, eight years ago.

It would seem to follow in the opinion of the Netherlands Government that it would be entirely appropriate that the Chairmanship of the Ninth General Assembly should once again go to a representative of a European country.

On the basis of these considerations the Netherlands Government has invited Mr. E. N. van Kleffens, Minister of State; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Minister to Portugal, to consent that his nomination be put in for this office, to which suggestion Mr. Van Kleffens has agreed.

In the opinion of the Netherlands Government Mr. Van Kleffens is entirely qualified and eminently suitable for holding the high office of Chairman of the General Assembly. Reference is made in this respect to his enclosed curriculum vitae.2

Under instructions from his Government, Dr. Van Roijen has the honor to solicit the good offices of Mr. Dulles in obtaining the support of the United States Government for this candidature.

The Netherlands Ambassador avails himself of this opportunity to present to the Honorable the Secretary of State the assurances of his highest consideration.

Washington, April, 1954.

  1. Drafted by Paul W. Jones, Jr., of the Office of UN Political and Security Affairs.↩
  2. Not printed.↩