32. Telegram From Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson to the Department of State1
560. One hour and half meeting this morning again with no visible progress. I opened with statement to effect our agreed purpose was settle matter return civilians, I had told him exactly what we had done with respect Chinese and were prepared to do representation, was still waiting know settlement his government proposed make Americans. When this information available could readily agree exact language public announcement but futile further discussion form words until both clear as to substance of what we are announcing. He replied reiterating previous positions but during course give and take I asked him series questions to which his replies made clear all cases being “reviewed”, “completion review” means persons can promptly depart for US, review all cases not “completed”, “he could not forecast time required complete remaining cases” which was dependent on “nature case, conduct individual, improvement relations between two countries”. Talks were one indication improvement and agreement on putting third party representation into operation would be additional improvement. All this would “make settlement of cases easier than in the past”.
Had made their “best effort”. All argument that he would reciprocate frankness with which I had made detailed explanation action taken respect Chinese in US was evaded or brushed aside. My efforts this regard were “infringement of sovereignty and interference their juridical processes which they could never accept”.
I deliberately avoided any discussions details representation arrangement in order keep discussion focused on central issue. For same reason I also avoided answering familiar allegations treatment Chinese in US and their treatment Americans China.2
[Page 53]Next meeting Tuesday,3 10 a.m.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–2055. Confidential; Niact.↩
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Johnson commented on the meeting in telegram 564 from Geneva, August 20, which reads in part as follows:
“I did not at today’s meeting introduce textual changes mentioned first para Secretary’s tel 569 [Document 30] nor those mentioned para one Deptel 582 as it was very clear that question is not verbal formula but factual situation and no concession on words was going to move him to any substantive concession on Americans. Wang will probably agree almost any verbal formula for para one but will insist on understanding that agreement does not infringe on ChiCom sovereignty and jurisdiction which he will interpret to mean that ‘unfinished civil and criminal cases’ will be settled in own way and own time.” (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–2055)
Telegram 582 to Geneva, August 19, authorized Johnson to accept the textual changes and the rewording of paragraph 2(a) which Wang proposed the previous day in order to facilitate Chinese acceptance of a satisfactory version of the first paragraph. (Ibid., 611.93/8–1855)
↩ - August 23.↩