Canberra, 26 June 1961
Secret
Chinese Representation in the United Nations
With reference to our All Posts Savingrams AP731 and AP742 the following summarises present departmental thinking on this issue.
The voting on the moratorium at the Fifteenth Session3 was 42–34–22. If it were decided to attempt to prolong the moratorium at the Sixteenth Session, voting would probably be in even closer balance. Although the United States has not yet reached a decision on substance or tactics (and we believe is unlikely to be in a position to do so for some time yet), the prospects are that a substantive debate will take place on the subject. It seems likely that the substantive debate will turn on a proposal which would open the way to the seating of both Formosa and Peking in the General Assembly; it would be expected that such a proposal would be rejected by Peking.
The United States have been endeavouring to persuade the Chinese Nationalists that their position is precarious. However, the Nationalists have shown little appreciation of the need to. take positive steps to ensure their continued membership of the United Nations; they profess to believe that the moratorium can be maintained for at least one more year. There are, however, some indications that the Nationalists might be prepared ultimately to consider some other approach, for instance a ’successor state’ device (see below), if such a device were sure to be rejected by Peking.
Important support for the Chinese Nationalists’ position would be reduced if the Nationalists were to veto Outer Mongolia’s application for membership (which may be considered by the Security Council in July).4 The applications of Mauritania and Outer Mongolia have been linked and French African support for the Nationalists would presumably not be forthcoming if they blocked the admission of Mauritania.
If the question of Chinese representation comes to a substantive debate, the United States will maintain that it is an ‘important’ matter (requiring a two-thirds majority for decision) and not a simple question of credentials. This view, which we share, is widespread and seems likely to prevail.
Present State Department thinking on Chinese representation (at the official level) seems to envisage the presentation of some form of ’successor states’ resolution in a substantive debate. Such a resolution might seek to have the General Assembly endorse the original and continuing membership of the Government of the Republic of China (i.e. Formosa) and go on to express the readiness of the Credentials Committee to consider the question of Chinese Communist representation (in the General Assembly) if Peking expressed readiness to conform to the Charter of the United Nations. Should such a resolution fail to gain a two-thirds majority, the State Department has been giving some preliminary thought to the possibility of a fall-back device whereby the question might be referred to a committee, established by the Secretary-General, to discuss the question with Peking and make appropriate recommendations to the Seventeenth Session.
Our Embassy in Washington is in close touch with the State Department and posts will be advised when we are in a position to give more definite information on substance and tactics. In the meantime, please safeguard strictly any information contained herein about possible United States attitudes. You should not reveal any knowledge of State Department thinking to your United States colleagues, unless it is obvious that they have received guidance.
Australia’s objectives are to preserve an independent Formosa within the United Nations and to avoid a diplomatic defeat for the United States on the question which would have far reaching effects particularly in Asia. We have also a real interest in the reduction of tension in the Formosa area.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/33/1/1, vii]
1 26 June. It noted the likelihood that Chinese representation would be raised, and pointed to the lack of a clear US position. Posts were asked to await separate instructions and not to broach the question in discussions. If Chinese representation was raised by others, officers were requested to ask for statistics on which were based claims that the moratorium could not succeed.
2 Not published.
3 The 15th Session of the UN General Assembly opened in New York on 20 September 1960.
4 On 19 April 1961, the UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution expressing the view that the Mongolian People’s Republic and Mauritania should be admitted to the United Nations. Mongolian membership therefore remained to be recommended by the Security Council, in which the veto applied on non-procedural questions, before being finally decided by the UN General Assembly.