740.0011 Pacific War/3272: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in China ( Atcheson )
730. Chungking’s 777, May 25, 2 p.m. On May 31 an officer of the British Embassy, in conversation with an officer of the Department, stated inter alia that during the course of a recent meeting of the Pacific Council held in Washington Dr. T. V. Soong had replied to an inquiry made by Prime Minister Churchill that, notwithstanding the Chinese Government’s claim that Tibet was a part of China, Chinese troops were not and would not be massed on the Tibetan borders; and that the British Prime Minister had rejoined that Chinese suzerainty over Tibet was not contested by anyone but that it was essential at the present time to avoid any new complications or difficulties.