Letter from Seán Lester to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(S. 7/11/69) (Secret)

Manchuria

Mr. Yen, the Chinese Minister to the United States and Representative on the Council, called to see me this morning. He was concerned about the resolution which has been passed by the Japanese Parliament urging the Japanese Government to recognise the new Manchurian State. Such action (recognition) would of course be contrary to the resolutions of the Council and of the Assembly, and I think myself the Japanese Government will hesitate, but recognition at this stage by Japan would obviously be an extremely awkward matter. We are to have a meeting of the Committee of 19 next week, when it will be decided that, as the Lytton report cannot be received earlier than the middle of September, the time provided for in the Covenant shall be extended. Mr. Yen wondered if the Committee could do something in connection with the question of recognition. I pointed out to him that the Committee could not assume, even in face of the parliamentary resolution, that Japan was going to recognise the new State but said that I would consult with others as to whether we could not have a resolution or declaration urging that neither party should in the interim take any action likely to complicate the situation. I think Mr. Yen found this very acceptable. Mr. Yen having remarked that the Irish representative would preside at the next session of the Council, said that he (the president) would have an extremely difficult, delicate and arduous task in connection with Manchuria, apart from anything else. I have already drawn attention to the heavy work in front of us, including this question. The Manchurian trouble will in itself provide very heavy work for the Council, the Committee of 19 and the Special Assembly for a period of at least two to three months. This period will coincide with the Disarmament Conference, the Economic and Financial Crisis and other matters.