UNP files, lot 59 D 237, “Membership”
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of United Nations
Political and Security Affairs (Wainhouse) to the Deputy United States Representative on the Security
Council (Ross)
secret
[Washington,] May 14, 1953.
You will remember that we have talked about a possible message from
Ambassador Lodge to the
Department which would be of such a character as to bring about the
necessary crystallization of policy in the Government on this membership
question. I suggest that perhaps the most effective way to do this would be
for you to submit something to Ambassador Lodge, and I am offering you the attached language as an
indication of what might be most helpful here. I understand that you have in
mind adding a statement regarding the current meetings of the Membership
Committee.
[Attachment]
secret
I am impressed by the strong feeling among United Nations members that a
settlement of the membership question is imperative. The French, who
have hitherto opposed any package deal on membership, have now indicated
to us that they would favor such an approach provided agreement could be
reached with the United Kingdom and with us. I shall need to exchange
views with both the French and British on this subject in the very near
future.
In my opinion there would be positive advantage to us if we could, within
the next few months, make a proposal for the admission of a substantial
number of new members. Looking ahead to the General Assembly, it will
probably be very helpful to us to have some proposals of this character.
I realize that the problem has many complexities which we should need to
work out before offering any specific proposal. I should appreciate it
if, on an urgent basis, the Department would give me an indication of
the lines along which I might discuss this with the French and British,
and work out the terms and conditions under which such a proposal might
be made. I assume that at some point the matter would come into
discussion among the Big 5.
