893.00/12–1344: Telegram
The Appointed Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:55 p.m.]
2016. Although the Communists have rejected the Central Government’s counterproposals for a settlement of the present strained relations between Chungking and Yenan, I do not believe that the door is definitely closed to further negotiations. (ReEmbs 1894, November 24) The Generalissimo has indicated to me that he intends to continue to seek a rapprochement. The question is will he be willing and able to make sufficiently drastic concessions to satisfy the Communists.
I doubt that the position assumed by the Communists is immutable. While they are unquestionably in a strong bargaining position, they will probably be willing to retreat somewhat from their original proposals provided that they are convinced that the Generalissimo is genuinely desirous of meeting them on an equitable basis. They are not interested in any palliative proposition which does not give them a substantial and effective share of administrative authority.
Mail report94 follows.
- Not found in Department files.↩