893.00 Tibet/12–2149
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Sprouse)
During the course of a conversation with Mr. Graves42 today on another subject I gave him a brief summary (copy attached)43 of the statement the Department had authorized Ambassador Henderson to make to the Tibetan representative at New Delhi in reply to the Tibetan appeal for material assistance. I explained that I would also give him, in accordance with his request, the substance of the Department’s reply to the Tibetan appeal for assistance in obtaining membership in the UN when that reply was despatched.44
Mr. Graves then launched into a description of the British view of the Tibetan situation, pointing out that the British Government was of the opinion that nothing should be done to discourage the Tibetan authorities and that an effort should be made to give them moral encouragement even though it was not possible to extend material aid. He further stated that the British Government felt that the Government of India should take the lead in this problem and that the UK High Commissioner at New Delhi was making efforts along that line. [Page 1096] He said that the British Government would appreciate whatever action the U.S. Government might be able to take along similar lines.
I informed him that Ambassador Henderson had discussed the problem both with the Indian authorities and with the UK High Commissioner and that I felt certain that his efforts were being made toward the desired end. I pointed out that it was also the opinion of the Department that we should not do anything which would discourage the Tibetans and that the Department’s reply which I had given him was framed with that idea in mind. In reply to my query, Mr. Graves said that he did not think that the British Government was prepared to give military aid to the Tibetans or to replace any military materiel which the Government of India might be persuaded to make available to the Tibetans but that the British Government was endeavoring to encourage the Indian authorities to give small arms and ammunition to the Tibetans.
During the conversation Mr. Graves showed me a Hansard report of December 14, 1949, in which was published a letter from Mr. Eden45 to Dr. T. V. Soong46 under date of August 5, 1943 and an accompanying memorandum setting forth the British position with respect to Tibet. Mr. Graves stated that it was his view that this still represented the British position in regard to Tibet.
(Subsequent to his return to the British Embassy Mr. Graves sent me a copy of this letter and the memorandum, a copy of which is attached.47)