Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume VII, Arms Control and Disarmament

103. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations⁰

Washington, November 30, 1961, 8:47 p.m.

1392. Disarmament Forum; USUN-1821.¹ You should consult with UK, France, Canadian and Italian Dels on basis of following position for next session Stevenson-Zorin talks:

1. While US believes inclusion ten additional states is preferable on basis relative numbers NATO-Warsaw countries and remaining nations of world, we would as conciliatory move be prepared, if Soviets insist, to reduce to eight number of countries to be added. This would be minimum to which we would be willing recede and we leave it to your discretion when to fall back to this position. Our impression here is that Soviets rather anxious to come to agreement and they recognize obvious attractiveness of 5-5-10 proposal if we force it into public domain.

2. These countries should be added in accordance with agreed principles of geographic representation and not on any other basis. We would suggest accordingly the addition of two Latin Americans, two Asians, two Africans, one Middle East and one non-NATO, non-Warsaw European. We believe we should reach agreement on total number to be added and geographic distribution within this number prior to further discussion of specific countries.

3. If Soviets refuse to discuss principle of number or geographic distribution without settling on specific countries, US would take position for tactical reasons that we are prepared, within this agreed framework, to have the additional countries elected by GA. This would have greater virtue of allowing states truly interested in participation to pre-sent their own candidacies and will help in securing more representative forum.

4. If necessary to obtain Soviet agreement to this procedure we prepared reach prior understanding with Soviets as to countries we ourselves would support for election. We would be prepared support Mexico and Argentina from Latin America, India and Japan from Asia, Ivory Coast and Tunisia or Nigeria from Africa, UAR from Middle East, and either Sweden, Ireland or Austria from non-NATO, non-Warsaw Europe. FYI: We could fall back to Brazil in lieu Argentina at whatever stage you deem necessary. End FYI.

Assuming Western Five agree on above position, USDel should consult with Pakistan (also Argentina prior any fall-back to Brazil) on foregoing in order that we may assess their reaction prior to actually putting it to Soviets.

In approaching Pakistan and Argentina, you should stress that as a practical matter US recognizes that no countries not mutually acceptable to both Soviets and US can be added and that GA itself would probably not support addition of countries which would result in Soviet refusal to participate in negotiations. Our aim is to avoid “troika-like” body (as in 5-5-5 or step in that direction, e.g. 5-5-3) and to gain reaffirmation principle geographic representation in disarmament bodies. You should state we prefer have countries added elected by GA, but that we may be forced to reach prior understanding with Soviets on mutually acceptable slate which we would support and that Soviets have objected to inclusion of Argentina and Pakistan.

Reporting—Agree necessary to change operative para 3 section B Soviet draft contained urtel 1826.² You should continue press Soviets accept formulation in US draft handed them on Nov 15.³ We see difficulty in Mission suggestion⁴ since this has disadvantage tending highlight possible failure reach agreement “draft treaty” by June 1, 1962 and unacceptable in unrealistic linkage of “draft treaty” and date June 1, 1962. Would agree to substitute words “draft program” as contained statement principles.⁵

Rusk

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 600.0012/11-2861. Confidential. Drafted by Ronald I. Spiers, Director of the Office of Political Affairs in ACDA, and William G. Jones, Deputy Director of the Office of United Nations Political and Security Affairs; cleared by Foster and by EUR, AF, ARA, and NEA; and approved by Cleveland.
1. In telegram 1821, November 28, Stevenson stated that during a meeting with Zorin that day the Soviets “seemed desirous of agreement;” reported that agreement seemed possible on either a 5-5-8, a 5-5-7, or a 5-5-3 ratio of Western, Warsaw Pact, and neutral states in the Disarmament Committee; and asserted his preference for one of the higher numbers because a “non-aligned group of three including India, Mexico and perhaps UAR would be more likely to coalesce into a bloc which could exert pressure on West than would larger and more loosely organized group of 7 or 8.” He asked for authorization to agree on 5-5-8, “or as last ditch solution” 5-5-7. (Ibid.)
2. Telegram 1826, November 28, transmitted a Soviet draft of a proposed General Assembly resolution setting up a new Disarmament Committee. The provision referred to would have requested “the Disarmament Committee to submit the draft treaty on general and complete disarmament under effective international control for consideration by a Special Session of the General Assembly not later than June 1, 1962.” (Ibid.)
3. As directed by telegram 1241 to USUN, November 14, the Mission handed the Soviets on November 15 a draft based on portions transmitted in telegrams 566, September 16; 913, October 13; and 1139, November 4; all to USUN. (Ibid., 600.0012/11-961, 600.0012/9-1661, 600.0012/10-1361, and 600.0012/10-261, respectively) All are in the Supplement.
4. Not further identified.
5. Documentation on further negotiations with the Soviets and consultations with allies on the composition and tasking of the proposed Disarmament Committee is in Department of State, Central File 600.0012 for November and December 1961. As a result of these talks, the General Assembly passed on December 20 Resolution 1722 (XVI), setting up an 18-member Disarmament Committee composed of Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, France, India, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union, Sweden, the United Arab Republic, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The resolution requested that “the Committee submit to the General Assembly a report on such agreement [on general and complete disarmament] as soon as it has been reached, and in any case submit to the Disarmament Commission, not later than June 1, 1962, a report on the progress received.” For text, see Documents on Disarmament, 1961, pp. 741-742.