893.01/10–1249: Telegram
The Chargé in the Netherlands (Steere) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:03 p. m.]
937. Foreign Office says Netherlands representative who has been designated to proceed from Canton to Chungking23 will first go to Hong Kong “for consultation with his colleagues”. Official stated that Netherlands Government, had not deviated from principle that it should have representative at Nationalist Government seat, but that it wanted a margin of time to see what would happen. He said, “Perhaps the Nationalist Government will collapse in the next few weeks.”
Official expressed some surprise that British Government had instructed its representative in Peking to contact Communist government, which amounts to virtual de facto recognition. British had informed Netherlands of these instructions, but Netherlands did not regard British step as the close cooperation “with consultation” that is supposed to exist between Western Powers on this matter.
[Page 126]In general, official said, Foreign Office believes eventual recognition Communist government inevitable, but timing is important. He repeated former assurances (Embtel 881, October 4) that Netherlands Government would take no precipitate action or initiative.
Sent Department 937, repeated London 99.