287. Telegram From the Liaison Office in China to the Department of State 1

913. Subject: Message on Cambodian Seizure of U.S. Ship.

1.
USLO officer Anderson delivered message on Cambodian seizure of U.S. merchant vessel to Cambodian Embassy at 1210 local time May 13. Cambodian EmbOff said he would transmit it. No further discussion.
2.
PRC Foreign Ministry said that message could not be received by an officer until 1600 Peking time, but that if matter was urgent we could deliver to MFA mail room. We are doing so. We are confident that message will immediately be passed to responsible officials, but MFA apparently wanted to avoid direct contact.2
Bush
  1. Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC East Asian and Pacific Affairs Staff Files, 1973–1976, Box 29, Department of State, Telegrams and Cables (1). Secret; Nodis; Flash.
  2. Bush relayed the PRC response to the Department in telegram 925 from Beijing, May 14: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China is instructed to inform the U.S. side that it is not in a position to pass the U.S. message on to the Royal Government of National Union of Cambodia and hereby returns the May 13 note of the U.S. side.” (Ibid.)