893.00/9–446: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 5—9:10 p.m.]
1421. Committee of Five unable to meet today because Chou En-lai seems not to be ready. He returned yesterday afternoon from Shanghai and sent his representative to see me (Wang Ping-nan) who reiterated the public statements made by them both to the effect that there should first be an assurance by the Generalissimo of a cease-firing order and a cancellation of his previous “five point conditions”. The implication is that Chou is now making his two points as a prerequisite to the meeting but this has not been explicitly stated to me. Mr. Wang also said that Chou wished to see General Marshall before coming to me and I understand he is there now (6:30 p.m.). Chou assured me last week that although he had misgivings on these points, yet this would not prevent him from attending the meeting with his associate (Tung Pi-wu) and secretary (Wang). He may have received instructions from Yenan or there may have been a conference in Shanghai or here. Or it may be a tactical move. In any case my course seems clearly to await his visit and to avoid any public comment to [sic] other than that we are waiting for Mr. Chou.