611.95A241/12–2354: Telegram
No. 458
The United States Representative at
the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of
State
priority
309. Lodge called on Hammarskjold this morning and received a report on the latter’s conference in Stockholm with ChiCom Ambassador. SYG stated that meeting was cordial and that there was clear evidence of “desire to please” and to arrange matters so as to make the trip to Peiping work out smoothly. Hammarskjold described his meeting as “most satisfactory.”
SYG reached agreement with ChiCom Ambassador on following eight points: (1) route to Peiping to be via New Delhi; (2) length of visit not to exceed four or five days; (3) discussions to be between SYG and Chou En-lai; (4) publicity to be by mutual agreement of parties concerned; (5) personnel to accompany SYG to include Pakistan or Burmese “political expert”, British or Swiss “legal expert,” Swedish personal assistant, American “body guard”, and one or two interpreters; (6) visas for his entire group; (7) diplomatic immunity for all members of group; (8) agreement that the words “pertinent questions” used in Chou En-lai’s telegram to SYG included [Page 1050] the “question that is the reason for the SYG’s trip to Peiping”—namely UN personnel held in China.
Lodge stated that the Secretary had expressed concern over fact that SYG was taking US citizen to China. SYG said he had considered matter carefully, that ChiComs knew his body guard was an American and that he felt that any departure from his usual practice of taking this man with him wherever he goes would be considered by Chinese as a form of “kowtowing” to them. SYG stated that he was particularly anxious not to create impression with Chi-Coms that he was making any concessions or approaching them in guise of suppliant.
SYG then said that he would like to travel to Peiping by government aircraft and would ask US Government to provide airplane to London, UK Government from London to Delhi, and Indian Government from Delhi to Peiping. He asked Lodge to do all possible to further his request. Lodge stated that he personally supported the request and would do what he could to secure compliance by US Government. Subsequently in telephone conversation with Secretary, Lodge urged that US furnish aircraft and Secretary indicated his approval of request.1
- A notation in the margin of the source text indicates that arrangements had been made for the aircraft to be made available. Hammarskjold left New York on Dec. 30 and flew to Peking via London and New Delhi, arriving on Jan. 5, 1955.↩