793.94/2338: Telegram
The Minister in China (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 26—12:55 p.m.]
(1) My British and French colleagues here are reporting this evening in identic words as under (2):
(2) President Chiang Kai-shek summoned the British and French representatives and myself (the German Minister having gone to Shanghai) to meet him this evening.
Chiang opened the discussion with an expression of his warm appreciation of the Geneva proceedings. Taking up the October 24 draft resolution of the Council, Chiang said China was determined to carry its terms out regardless of Japan’s action in the matter. Accordingly he invited the three heads of Legation to nominate representatives who would observe the transfer of the evacuated areas, as provided in the draft resolution’s paragraph 4, and to forward the names of these representatives. We said we could report immediately [Page 331] to our Governments at home and with their sanction consider who should be sent. Chiang expressed the wish that each of us should nominate two representatives at least, civil and military, but the more we nominated the better it would be, and we should have them ready until required.
(3) For my part, I explained to Chiang that I would ask your instructions and let him know at once the American response to his invitation. Chiang desires the names of the foreign representatives to be published with those of the Chinese appointees.
(4) I informed Chiang I would leave for Shanghai, staying until about November 16, although at any time I would be available if he desired my presence in Nanking.