Office of the Historian

893.01/10–1249: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Officers 17

Washington, October 12, 1949—11 a. m.

Announcement establishment of Chinese Communist central regime may result in renewal interest question of recognition. Dept believes [Page 123] that US Govt, having already made its views known and taken initiative in obtaining general concurrence that consultation with other interested friendly countries shld precede any action toward recog, shld in general not initiate discussion of question at this time. However, fol are present US Govt views this question for use by you in event you approached by Govt to which you accredited re US views or if you have reason to believe Govt to which you accredited contemplating independent action re recog Chi Commie regime without prior consultation:

US views remain unchanged (originally set forth Depcirtel May 6 some or June 1018 other addressees this Cirtel). Announcement of establishment Chi Commie “Govt” long anticipated development and does not in US view lend any special urgency to consideration question recog by non-Commie countries. Development does however point up necessity interested friendly Govts, in their own interests, maintain common attitude respecting question. To this end US Govt emphasizes need for full exchange views prior any definitive or independent steps looking toward recog by other interested friendly govts.

For urinfo only, during mid-Sept Acheson–Bevin-Schuman talks, (a) Bevin pledged caution on recog but indicated Brit commercial interests and domestic pressures might force action different from that taken by US and (b) Schuman stated premature recog out of question because of French position in Indochina.

Acheson
  1. Sent to Ankara, Athens, Bangkok, Bern, Brussels, Cairo, Canberra, The Hague, Kabul, Lisbon, London, Manila, New Delhi, Ottawa, Paris, Rangoon, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Seoul, Stockholm, and Tehran; repeated to Batavia, Hong Kong, Nanking, Peiping, Saigon, Singapore, and the United States delegation to the United Nations at New York.↩
  2. Latter not printed.↩