Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI

793B.00/7–2250: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India

top secret

Washington, July 22, 1950—12 noon.

104. Deptel 48 July 11 and urte 96 July 15.

1. Our response PriMin’s appeal re Commie China¹ probably additional reason which wld cause GOI object US initiative extend mil aid to Tibet. Dept now in position give assurances Tibetans re US aid. Details will be forwarded separate msg. View current state US-Indian relations, Dept believes action designed obtain GOI cooperation such a project shld be left to Tibetans. Dept believes procedure shld be as follows: In response Tibetan approach you inform them that US ready to assist procurement and financing. Tibetans then approach GOI opening with request for more Indian aid. GOI will presumably say Tibet now getting all aid India can give and all aid Tibet can properly use. Tibetans then wld ask whether GOI wld agree facilitate delivery through India of matériel procured abroad. If GOI answer an unqualified negative matter ends. If positive you wld then raise matter with GOI explaining Tibetan approach to you and willingness US help Tibetans and then enter into examination procedures of delivery.

2. Dept believes it wld be undesirable present stage ask Tibetans for particulars re specific needs. In ur talk with Tibet Del it might be desirable restate necessity GOI cooperation and discuss tactics. Tibetans must realize importance this stage of not informing GOI of US interest, although GOI may be aware your contact with Tibetans and may surmise US interest when Tibetans approach GOI. Dept agrees advantage discussing matter with Tibetans before they enter into conversations with reps Peking Govt in New Delhi.

3. Above procedure appears desirable in that you will have to discuss matter with GOI, if at all, only after main policy decision has been made. GOI wld only with great difficulty refuse Tibetan request for cooperation in delivery material and if it shld do so it might be prompted accede initial Tibetan request more Indian aid or offer another plan.

4. In conversations held Wash Dept told by reps Brit Emb that UK interest in Tibet secondary, having yielded their position to GOI. Dept contemplates informing Brit and seeking assurance that they will not inform GOI, but high level support not being sought.²

Acheson

1. Reference is to a message from Secretary of State Acheson responding to one from Prime Minister Nehru wherein Mr. Nehru urged upon the United States the need for seating the People’s Republic of China in the U.N. Security Council as an aid in terminating the conflict in Korea. Mr. Acheson’s reply stressed the fact that the fighting in Korea and the question of United Nation representation were separate and disinct matters. The text of Mr. Acheson’s message is printed in the Department of State Bulletin, July 31, 1950, p. 170, and in telegram 77, July 17, to New Delhi, vol. vii, p. 412. Volume vii also contains the texts of other messages exchanged between the two men at this time.
2. Mr. Hubert Graves, Counselor of the British Embassy, was informed of the substance of the above telegram by the Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Clubb) on July 24. The text of Mr. Clubb’s memorandum of the conversation with Mr. Graves was transmitted to New Delhi under cover of instruction No. 12, July 31, not printed. (793B.5/7–2450; 793B.5/7–3150)