893.00/2–1845: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 18—6:02 p.m.]
247. Referring to Department’s recent telegram.6 Following is reputed text of statements of February 14th by Wang Shih-chieh.
“For the past fortnight the Government representatives, of whom I am one, have been conferring with the Communist representative, Mr. Chou En-lai, in Chungking. The Government proposed to make a number of important concessions, which include among other things the following:
- 1.
- Recognition of the Chinese Communist Party as a lawful political party.
- 2.
- Inclusion of representatives of the Communists and representatives of other political parties in the Executive Yuan with a view to forming a sort of war time cabinet.
- 3.
- Inclusion of high ranking Communist officials among members [of] the National Military Council.
- 4.
- Setting up a Committee of Three to consider reorganization of the Communist Army and the question of their supplies. In this committee the Government and Communist representatives to be on equal footing, and possibly an American Army officer to preside.
However, the Communists considered these proposals unacceptable to them. They rejected them. The Communists brought forth a proposal to convene a conference of all political parties. It is in compliance with the general idea of this request that the Government has again consented to convene a conference comprising representatives of the Kuomintang, the Communist Party and other parties, as well as some nonpartisan independent leaders, to consider interim measures for political and military unification pending convocation of the National Congress.
Mr. Chou is returning to Yenan with these Government proposals to consult his party. As to the final outcome, I shall make no forecast. I should like to add that in the course of the negotiations we appreciated the disinterested and friendly effort of the American Ambassador, General Hurley in bringing the two sides together and in having created a better atmosphere of discussion.
Question: Will this inter-party conference have power to make decisions binding on the Government?
Answer: When decision is reached by procedure agreed upon, the Government will be bound.”