Office of the Historian

99. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson, at Geneva1

Washington, November 15, 1955—8:09 p.m.

1247. Guidance for November 17 meeting.

1.
Renunciation of force. Concur your agreeing to consider ad referendum Department reasonable amendments to preamble our draft declaration, while maintaining completely firm position paragraphs 6 and 8, as proposed your 1140.2 Reject Wang’s continued accusations US “armed occupation” Taiwan and reiterate US position outlined Deptel 996.3 You should not hesitate to state our position as forcefully as Wang states his, but pointing out that clash of views need not become clash of arms if both sides accept principle that force will not be used resolve differences.
2.
Implementation. Agree with your view that major emphasis should be kept upon PRC’s failure carry out express commitment to release Americans, with O’Neill’s difficulties secondary. Department will obtain from British latest developments Peiping and send guidance this aspect later.4
3.
Embargo. Concur your 1140.5
4.
Military personnel. Defense has requested UNCMAC to present lists again. Since reply not yet received from UNCMAC you should omit subject this meeting.

Pass to Secretary.

Hoover
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/11–1155. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted in CA, cleared by Sebald and McConaughy, and approved by Robertson.↩
  2. Johnson transmitted his proposals for the November 17 meeting in telegram 1140 from Geneva, November 11. (Ibid.)↩
  3. Document 84.↩

  4. Telegram 1248 to Geneva, November 15, transmitted to Johnson, with instructions not to make use of it at the November 17 meeting, the following information:

    “Peiping Vice Minister Foreign Affairs November 14 returned to British Embassy Officer letters Chargé had written to seventeen Americans. Said letters could not be delivered because: (a) US had not given PRC list of Chinese in US and Indian Embassy therefore unable act on own initiative in communicating with Chinese. British would be given right take such initiative only if Indians given same right in US. (b) Question of encountering obstruction in leaving country did not arise in case of seventeen Americans. They law-breakers and could not return US until necessary legal procedures completed. Cases being reviewed one by one and only after prisoner’s sentence remitted could there be any question his leaving. If he then encountered obstruction he could apply to British, (c) British Chargé could only interview prisoner at latter’s request. If British to have right of access to Americans in China, Indians must have same right of access to Chinese in US.

    “Vice Minister agreed only to transmit to seventeen Americans copies of Agreed Announcement under covering letter containing no comment nor explanation whatever.” (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/11–1555)

    ↩
  5. Johnson proposed in telegram 1140 that if Wang made a statement on trade, he would avoid substantive discussion but might ask any questions that seemed useful.↩