396.1 GE/5–1254: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Delegation1
Tosec 143. Secretary saw Spender May 102 briefing him along lines conversation with Munro May 8 (Tosec 121).3 Spender additionally raised question possible UN action. Secretary said he thought there should be some UN action but action should not be dependent UN [Page 787] because procedural slowness and probable difficulty obtaining twothirds favorable vote. Secretary mentioned by way of illustration possible appropriate action by UN could be sending peace observation commissions Laos and Cambodia where it is clearer than in case Viet Nam external aggression involved. Spender raised personal basis possibility Cambodia, Laos or Thailand submitting question to Security Council but with action to be deferred pending outcome Geneva Conference. Secretary replied that while suggestion might have merit would not desire encourage such step pending clearer indication as to which direction French will take. He expressed apprehension that such step taken against wishes French might mitigate against possibility French maintaining firm position.
- Drafted by Raynor of EUR/BNA. Repeated to Canberra as telgram 209, to Wellington as telegram 158, to USUN as telegram 554, and to Paris and London by pouch.↩
- Text of memorandum of conversation is in Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 328.↩
- For text of memorandum of conversation, May 8, see volume xiii; for telegram Tosec 121, May 10, see volume xii.↩