500.CC(PC)/12–2445: Telegram
The Acting United States Representative on the Preparatory Commission (Stevenson) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 25—2 p.m.]
13582. This is Copre 671. I met today in Gromyko’s room with Gromyko, Victor [Hoo,]63a Koo and Webster. Yunin64 of [Page 1507] USSR was also present. Massigli was absent because of his return to Paris today. Meeting was result of my private arrangement with Gromyko.
Discussion covered SyG, non-permanent members of SC and members of EcoSoC with brief reference to presidency of GA.
With regard to SyG I mentioned a number of names which had come to my attention during the PreCo to wit: Spaak, Van Royen, Sir John Anderson, Aghnides, Mudaliar, Bruce, Pearson, Monnet, Van Kleffens and finally Simic who had been suggested to me by Gromyko. I explained that these were merely names with respect to which only Spaak and Van Royen had received any formal and approving consideration by my Government.
The question arose as to whether we should proceed with a discussion of names or principles. Koo suggested that we should first determine whether a US citizen was excluded, second, whether a North American could be considered and, third, whether one of the great powers could be considered.
Gromyko suggested that it should not be a North American. Webster indicated that no one should be excluded and that the sole criterion should be the best man. In response to Gromyko’s inquiry about Simic, Webster said he was not sufficiently experienced and could not in his judgement compare with Spaak on grounds of competence, experience or favorable reaction among others. Gromyko did not press hard on Simic and I think he was following instructions with full realization of the futility but with the expectation that his bargaining position would be improved. Webster indicated that his Govt’s first choice was still General Eisenhower in spite of the fact that he was from the US. Gromyko asked if he had second and third choices to which he did not respond. Koo indicated that his preference on the ground of the principles which he felt should prevail were Spaak, Pearson, Masaryk and Van Kleffens. He felt that first the general principles should be established and then the possible candidates eliminated by comparison with these principles.
Gromyko expressed agreement in principle with this position. I suggested that perhaps we could approach the problem obliquely by finding out if there were any other Big Five candidates except Eisenhower. There were no names suggested except Tsing of China formerly Ambassador to Moscow who was suggested casually by Webster. I was requested by Webster to determine definitely if Eisenhower would be available and agreed to do so.65 If he were eliminated there [Page 1508] seemed to be general if tacit agreement to proceeding with the consideration of other names as no other US citizen seemed to be under consideration. Both Webster and Gromyko quickly eliminated discussion of Van Royen. Webster and Koo expressed a warm regard for Pearson in which I concurred explaining that as he was a North American we were reluctant to take any initiative in regard to him.
Sir John Anderson was discussed but briefly and eliminated by Webster on the ground of age. I explained that I was reluctant to dismiss consideration of all Big Five possibilities until we had canvassed all possible names and Gromyko remarked that Professor Webster had not “mentioned anyone officially”. The professor replied that he had mentioned Spaak and Pearson though he could not commit his Govt and was reluctant to mention anyone from the UK.
Gromyko then changed the subject [to] the non-permanent members of SC and Webster said that he thought something like Brazil, Canada, Netherlands, Poland or Czechoslovakia, an Arab state and a Latin American state—Colombia or Mexico—would be about right. Gromyko asked if Belgium would not be preferable to the Netherlands and the professor indicated that the Netherlands in his opinion was a much greater power. Koo suggested that another Asiatic state should be considered and Gromyko said that that meant only Iran or India. Gromyko said Iran should be included among the Arab states.
I presented our slate merely for discussion for EcoSoC explaining that some changes would probably be made among the Latin Americans. Gromyko seemed to be particularly interested in how long the terms were for each of the states proposed.
The subject of the President of the GA was then discussed briefly and I indicated a preference for Norway. Professor Webster preferred Spaak and felt that that did not exclude him from consideration for SyG. Gromyko raised the question of officers for the first and second parts of the Assembly and seemed somewhat surprised that the same officers would serve in both parts of the First Assembly. He added that he felt therefore, that the consideration of officers for the First Assembly was connected with the consideration of officers for the Second Assembly. No one was ready to discuss officers for the Second Assembly. But Koo indicated that he was ready to support Norway for the first and Eastern Europe for the second. Gromyko added that he likewise would look with favor on Norway for President of the GA but did not say for which session.
- Minutes of the meeting indicate that both Wellington Koo and Victor Hoo were present.↩
- M. M. Yunin, Adviser on the Soviet delegation to the Preparatory Commission.↩
- In telegram 11124, Preco 452, December 29, 3 p.m., to London, the Department stated that “Webster’s inquiry … has been informally referred to the War Department. In response it has been suggested that you endeavor informally to discourage further proposal of General Eisenhower’s name for the post of Secretary General.” (500.CC (PC)/12–2945)↩