Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East: China, Volume VII

693.0023/1–247: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, January 2, 1947—3 p.m.
[Received January 2—8:14 a.m.]

3. I consider it inadvisable to start our note to Soviet Govt on status of Dairen (Dept’s 2208 December 31²) with reference to recent incident³ at the Port. Bringing up that incident is likely to offer Soviet Govt opening for confusing main issue by arguing over rights and wrongs of relatively minor incident.

Does Dept therefore concur in my proposal that note to FonOff begin simply with “American Govt considers it desirable that the current unsatisfactory situation”? I shall withhold action until reply received from Dept.

Smith

2. See telegram No. 1252, same date, to the Ambassador in China, ibid., p. 1200.
3. See telegram No. 2538, December 23, 1946, noon, from the Consul General at Shanghai and telegram No. 2185, December 28, 1946, 9 a.m., from the Ambassador in China, ibid., pp. 1194 and 1196 respectively.