Memorandum from Frederick H. Boland to all missions concerning Spain and the United Nations
(417/32) (Confidential)

The Spanish Minister¹ called on the Taoiseach immediately before the holiday in connection with the resolution about Spain recently passed by the General Assembly of UNO. Count d'Artaza informed the Taoiseach of the views of his Government with regard to the resolution. These are, no doubt, already familiar to you from the newspaper reports.

The Taoiseach told Count d'Artaza that he need be under no doubt as to the manner in which the UNO resolution is viewed in this country. From the practical point of view, it was a profound mistake; from the point of view of principle, it was unjustifiable and hypocritical.

The Taoiseach said that, if Ireland had been a member of UNO and had been represented at the recent Assembly, he would personally have gone to the tribune to oppose the resolution. The action of the United Nations Organisation in attempting to dictate what régime a particular State should have was thoroughly bad in principle; if, however, such a principle were to be adopted, it could only be justified at all if it were applied impartially; and to single out Spain on the ground of alleged defects in the present régime in that country, while ignoring what was happening in countries further east in Europe, was just one-sided and hypocritical.

The Spanish Minister mentioned that there was some apprehension in Madrid as regards the economic consequences of the UNO resolution. It was not so much that Spain was finding it increasingly difficult to obtain export licences for the materials she required for her national reconstruction as that business circles in other countries were disinclined to extend the ordinary commercial credits in view of the feeling of uncertainty as regards Spain's future created by the UNO decision. Count d'Artaza said that, for obvious reasons, he would like this information to be treated as strictly confidential.