Cablegram 1206 WASHINGTON, 23 November 1948, 6.46 p.m.
SECRET
Your telegram No. 956. [1]
ECAFE. Admission of Indonesian Republic.
State Department are also anxious to avoid protracted dispute and would welcome any formula which would achieve this result. If Indian proposal to admit Republic Representative as observer were acceptable to the Netherlands they would certainly support it.
They were unable to identify resolution No. 69 (V) [2] and would appreciate clarification of resolution referred to. They see little prospect, however, of avoiding a debate on the issue as they consider Soviet Union likely to exploit matter for propaganda purposes. Agreement between India and the Netherlands would, of course, shorten the debate. Proposal might provide that decision to admit Republic representative as observer should be without prejudice to further consideration of applications for Associate Membership.
2. State Department drew attention to action to executive Secretary in amending terms of reference in documents 29, Rev 1.
to include Nepal among countries eligible for Associate Membership. United States would prefer and may suggest new paragraph in terms of reference to provide for a membership of Nepal and Ceylon as independent states in manner similar to provision made for Switzerland, Portugal and other non-United Nations members in economic commission for Europe.
3. United States anticipate further action by U.S.S.R. in support of Vietnam.
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1 Dispatched on 23 November, it advised that the immediately following cablegram would contain the text of Cablegram 303 (see notes 1 and 2 to Document 323) and asked the Embassy to discuss the matter with the US Government.
2 See note 1 to Document 322.
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[AA:A1838, 403/2/3/8]