Memorandum of Meeting with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and the Latin American Caucus at the Seventh Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly

UNITED STATES DELEGATION TO THE SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1045 MEMORANDUM Latin American Caucus of November 26, 1952 382 The Secretary, accompanied by Amb. Gross, Messrs. Ross, Popper, Wells and Bernbaum, was invited by Dx. Carias to attend the meeting of the Latin American Delegates which had already been called to discuss other matters of common interest to them. In extending the invitation to the Secretary, Dr. Carias mentioned the desirability of working out a common LA-US approach on the Korean question. He felt that such action was desirable in view of the conflicting views expressed in the various meetings of the 21 sponsorship powers and in the press. Following a brief introduction by Dr. Carias, the Secretary des- cribed the situation leading up to the latest amondment by the Indian Delegition to its resclution providing for the transfer to the United Nations of the responsibility for the disposition, as well as care and maintenance of the POW's in the event that a solution had not been reached by the Political Conference wi thin 60 days. He added that thero had already been presented another amendment by Denmark reducing the 60- day period to 30 daye, and stated that the Indian resolution 80 amended would be satisfactory to the United States. The Secretary interpreted Paragraph 5 of the operative section of the Indian resolution as meaning that the screening of the prisoners vould be performed by the Repatriation Commission, othervise provided for in the resolution, and not by the contending parties. He expressed the opinion that this was the intention of the Indian Delegation despite the lack of drafting precision in Paragraph 5 and stated that he would have no objection if a clarifying amendment were presented. The Secretary went on to say that the present satisfactory situation on the Korean item vas due largely to the skillful handling of Committes 1 by Amb. Muniz and to the unwavering and heartening support of the other countries in the Western Hemisphers who represented a veritable pillar of strength in contrast to the tendeney of others toward weakness and com- promise. He then defined the term *Western Hemisphere" as that part of the North and South American continents south of the Canadian border. This produced some laughter and applause. The Secretary then spoke of the tactics to be followed in regard to the various resolutions now before Committee 1 on the Korean item. He hoped that all of the Iatin American Delegations would find it possible to vote for the Indian resolution. While expressing the opinion that the Russian amendments to this resolution were really a separate resolution, rather than amendments, he felt that there would be no point in getting into IDENTIAL 553 DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, 10767 By NLT- H NARS Dab 11-30-76