Minute from Sheila Murphy to John A. Belton (Dublin)

There are a number of States, Members of UNO, and of States which will shortly become Members, which Ireland for various reasons has not yet recognised, viz.

Jordan, established 1946, has never sought our recognition. As she also is involved in the Holy Places controversy we would not wish to give her more than de facto recognition as in the case of Israel.

Libya sought our recognition on her establishment in 1951. It was decided to take no action partly because Libya was merely a ‘puppet’ State kept alive by the Western Big Powers and partly because it was thought that formal recognition of this Arab State might give unnecessary offence to Israel which has continually pressed for full recognition.

Sudan sought our recognition on her establishment a few months ago. As this was a period of rising Arab-Israeli tension recognition was not considered advisable, more particularly as no action had been taken on the prior Libyan application. Sudan’s application for membership of UNO has been approved by the Security Council and it is clear that she will be admitted to membership at the November Assembly.

Tunisia, Morocco No direct request for recognition has so far been received from these two newly established States. A letter addressed to the Taoiseach by the Tunisian Prime Minister¹ requesting Irish support for Tunisia’s application for membership of UNO might be regarded as an indirect request. The Ambassador in Paris has suggested that we should recognise both States and has ascertained that the French Government would have no objection to our doing so. It is very probable that both will apply for membership of UNO and be admitted at the next Assembly.

Laos, Cambodia, South Vietnam Of these successor States of Indochina, Laos and Cambodia are members of UNO. Vietnam was provisionally partitioned, by the first Geneva Conference (1954) and neither North or South Vietnam was included in the famous ‘package’ deal. The Ambassador in Paris is urging us to recognise all those States, as from time to time he receives communications from one or other of them. On inquiry at the Quai d’Orsay as to whether these would have any objection he was informed that it was a matter of no interest to them – the French Government has washed their hands of Indochina.

Shortly after the establishment of these three States in 1949, the French Government asked us to recognise them. We would have done so but for the fears of St. Columban’s Mission that our recognition of Vietnam – where the French were trying to suppress the Vietnam Forces – might prejudice the position of the Irish priests still working in Communist territories. (This objection, of course, no longer applies). Vietnam, being much the most important of the three States it was felt that we should not recognise Laos and Cambodia until the ‘ban’ on Vietnam was lifted. By that time a full scale war was raging in Indochina.

In view of our membership of UNO it would seem desirable to obtain the permission of the Government to put our relations with the above States on a normal basis. At present we are obliged to refrain from replying to communications from them. Such communications though now rare, are bound to increase as the UNO Assembly approaches and our Mission to UNO is established in New York.

On account of our policy towards Israel, and of the present Arab-Israeli tension it would obviously be undesirable to accord recognition to several Arab States by means of formal Notes followed by the usual publicity. What I propose is that we should be free to accord tacit recognition of a de facto kind to the Arab and other States listed above as and when the occasion arises, that is by replying to any communication which may be received from them on UNO and other affairs or, by initiating communications ourselves. This method of recognition would not involve any publicity but would achieve the purpose of putting our relations with our fellow members in UNO on a normal basis and obviate the necessity of ‘snubs’ on the part of our UNO Mission.

Brief notes on the origin of each of the States in question are filed across.²

If the Minister agrees with this proposal the Political Section will prepare a Submission for the Government in consultation with the Legal Adviser.