Letter from Seán Murphy to Paul Keating (New York)
(417/145) (Copy)

Please refer to your report of the 16th July¹ on UN questions, and in particular to the last paragraph where you enquire whether you should attend a caucus meeting of European countries which it is anticipated will come together shortly to discuss the election of a successor to Belgium on the Security Council. I am to instruct you to attend the meeting, and to send a report of what transpires.

On the particular question of Ireland’s attitude as between Italy and Sweden no definite instructions are possible as yet. It would be interesting to know what other candidatures for the seat, besides that of Spain, may be anticipated.

You will already have seen our minute 417/145 of the 14th May² on the question of the enlargement of ECOSOC and of the Security Council. The instructions contained therein stand.

As regards paragraph 9 of your report where you refer to the meetings of the Commonwealth nations once or twice a month, it would certainly be desirable to be kept informed of proceedings at these meetings, if this were possible on a basis which did not commit us to any definite association with the group.