Office of the Historian

291. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

Washington, July 8, 1955—7:47 p.m.

132. Eyes only Ambassador from Secretary. Personal from Secretary to Macmillan.

“I refer to your personal message which I received through Roger Makins on June 30 with reference to getting something moving in the line of direct talks with Chou En-lai.2 I am asking [Page 641] Ambassador Aldrich to show you concurrently the text of a message which the President sent to Nehru which was delivered at noon and which he has acknowledged stating that he would reply from London.3 I am all ready to request your Govt as representing US interests at Peiping to make suggestion to Chou En-lai along the lines of the President’s message to Nehru but before doing so would be glad to get any views which you might have either independently or following such talk as you may have with Nehru. I do not, however, want to get Nehru in the position of being our intermediary in this matter and also I think it desirable, as you apparently do, to get something under way soon, as suggested, so that it will be in the works before we get to Geneva and, as you suggest, will provide the best answer to the Russians, as your June 30 message indicates. Foster Dulles.”

Text in question in next following message.4

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/7–855. Secret; Priority. Drafted, approved, and signed by the Secretary; cleared with EUR.↩

  2. Macmillan’s message was conveyed in a letter of June 30 from Makins to Dulles, which states in part:

    “Harold Macmillan … is still a little concerned as to the progress that may be made in the Far East towards relaxation of tension. He does not know whether you have yet been able to think out plans on the lines of your talks with him in San Francisco. But if you are able to get something moving, he does feel it will be a great help in resisting Russian efforts at Geneva to open up the Chinese question or to press for a separate conference about the Far East. He feels that the best answer would be that things were going along nicely and that it would be wise to leave them alone. It would also, of course, help to prevent any foolish or headstrong action by the Chinese Communist Government.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Eden–Macmillan–Lloyd Correspondence, 1955–56)

    ↩
  3. Nehru’s acknowledgement was reported in telegram 77 from Rome, July 8. (Department of State, Central Files, 711.11–EI/7–855)↩
  4. Telegram 133 to London, July 8. (Ibid.)↩