893.01/10–1849: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 18—1:36 p. m.]
4173. In compliance with Deptel 3722, October 14, I conveyed the Secretary’s message to Bevin personally this morning. He was surprised that we had not been consulted before despatch of British note [Page 135] to Chinese Communists, admitting frankly that such action is contrary to understanding reached with Secretary in Washington. Dening37 was sent for and offered apologetic explanation that because of procedural error instructions to British Embassy in Washington had been sent by airgram instead of cable, which accounted for fact that we were not notified in advance.
Bevin asked that the Secretary be assured that he had given firm instructions which he repeated orally to Dening that no steps were to be taken with respect to Chinese Communist government without prior consultation with US. He pointed out that his agreement with the Secretary was for prior consultation not necessarily prior agreement.
- Maberly E. Dening, British Assistant Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩