Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXII, Northeast Asia

135. Memorandum for the Record⁰

Washington, June 26, 1962.

NSC MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1962 AT 10:30 AM.

Meeting was a formal NSC meeting called for the purpose of hearing a report from Governor Adlai Stevenson on the problems confronting the US delegation to the United Nations during the fall meeting of the General Assembly. Governor Stevenson made the following points:

[Here follows paragraphs 1-5, Stevenson’s review of various subjects.]

6. In answer to a question by the President the Ambassador stated that if the Chinese Communists continue their strident attitude, their quarrels with India, etc., the Chinese representation problem would be less of an issue than in recent years. However, if Chiang’s provocative statements concerning returning to the Mainland are repeated, they will cause problems and embarrassments to the US in the UN. Stevenson expressed doubt as to the reason for the military buildup, indicating he thought it might be due to domestic implications.

He stated that the Soviet resolution¹ if presented as in the past would be soundly defeated, but that if they changed the resolution (which he thought was unlikely) to merely recognition of ChiComs and not the expulsion of the ChiNats, they might succeed in getting sufficient support to pass the resolution.

7. In answer to another question by the President with respect to responding to an attack on Quemoy, Stevenson stated that he, like others, wished that Chiang was out of the Islands and therefore the problem removed. He implied but did not specifically advise, a declaration by the President to the effect that we would not assist in the defense of Quemoy. He suggested that the President state that the US “had no intention of supporting Chiang’s adventures on the Mainland.” Stevenson went on to state that many delegations of the UN felt that Chiang was in trouble politically in Taiwan, and that leadership of the ChiNats was passing to other and perhaps more extreme and militant hands.

[Here follows discussion of other subjects.]

John A. McCone²

Director

0. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80-B01285A, DCI Meetings with the President. Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by McCone. Kennedy’s Appointment Book lists the time of the meeting as 10:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m. It lists 30 persons present, including Kennedy, Johnson, McNamara, and Ball. (Kennedy Library) Lemnitzer’s notes of the portion of the meeting here printed are similar in substance. (National Defense University, Lemnitzer Papers, Box 29)
1. The Soviet draft resolution introduced October 27, 1961, would have immediately removed “the representatives of the Chiang Kai-shek clique who are unlawfully occupying the place of China in the United Nations” and invited the Government of the People’s Republic of China to send representatives. (U.N. doc. A/L.360; printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, p. 144)
2. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.