840.50/1859a
The Department of State to the Chinese Embassy
Memorandum
On November 24, 1942, the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs communicated orally to the American Ambassador at Chungking the views of the Chinese Government with respect to the draft plan for the establishment of a United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, including the following suggestion:
With regard to paragraph 2 of Article IV, the field operation plan by the Director General should be agreed to by the country concerned and any differences between them should be referred for settlement to the Policy Committee.
The discussion between the Chinese Ambassador, the British Ambassador, the Soviet Ambassador and the Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Acheson, on January 11, 1943, brought out the following points which it is the purpose of this memorandum to confirm:
[Here follows paragraph identical with paragraph 1 in memorandum to the Soviet Embassy, supra.]
2. However, it was the clear understanding of those who drafted this provision that the appropriate authority of the United Nations in China would be the Chinese Government, and that the Director General would consult and collaborate with the Chinese Government with respect to relief and rehabilitation in Chinese territory. From this it follows that plans for field operations in Chinese territory would be developed by the Director General in collaboration and agreement with the Chinese Government. It is hoped that this explanation will meet the concern of the Chinese Government with respect to the point under discussion.