893.00/15110
The Chargé in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 3.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s airgram A–20, July 31, noon,23 in regard to Sino-Tibetan relations, and to transmit herewith a copy of despatch No. 7, July 10, 1943, from the Embassy officer at Lanchow,24 which was summarized in this airgram.
Especial attention is invited to the last paragraph of the despatch in which Mr. Service describes the attitude of Captain Tolstoy and Lieutenant Dolan as being strongly pro-Tibetan and critical of China and of what appear to be Chinese intentions in regard to Tibet. During the course of a recent conversation in Chungking with officers of the Embassy Captain Tolstoy strongly intimated that he felt that [Page 637] the United States should support the Tibetans vis-à-vis the Chinese Government.
As of further interest in this connection it may be mentioned that during the course of a recent conversation Dr. Victor Hoo, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated confidentially that he had received reports to the effect that Captain Tolstoy has assured the Tibetans that the United States would support them in their desire to remain independent of China; that he was very surprised at these reports because the United States had always shown a “very correct attitude” in regard to Tibet; and that he would obtain more specific information in the matter and communicate it to us in due course.
Respectfully yours,