893.01/8–1049: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
London, August 10,
1949—5 p. m.
[Received 5:19 p. m.]
[Received 5:19 p. m.]
3150. Following believed reasonably accurate summary Foreign Office views on Far East problems mentioned Deptel 2516, July 20. Source information primarily Dening who states British Embassy, Washington, informed substance Embassy–Foreign Office conversations.
- 1.
- Question withdrawal recognition present Chinese Government and recognition Communist government will be decided on basis participation UN. Likely question will arise before end of next meeting of UNGA,7 as by then Communisms will have formed all-Chinese Government and will likely have attempted force issue by sending delegation Lake Success or by other means. At such time UK and US as well as other friendly delegations will be in position consult behind the scenes and arrive at common position depending on circumstances at time.
- 2.
- UK and US have already issued withdrawal warnings to nationals, but UK warning more restrained. Further divergence noticeable in US plans to close Tihwa and probably Chungking and Kunming8 (Deptintel August 5, 1 a.m.9). British do not now contemplate any such action. They believe conditions at worst will not become more stringent than in East Europe satellite areas.
- 3.
- Department already aware reluctance UK go along with US views in adapting R procedure to China (Embtel 2956, July 2610).
- 4.
- British feel SEA nations should be brought to realize there will be no Marshall Plan for Asia on European pattern and no substantial military aid program. British fed up with tendency of certain newer nations in SEA, notably Pakistan, to attempt blackmail with “unless you give us substantial military, economic and political assistance, [Page 56] we shall have no choice but to go Communist” approach. Every means should be employed to demonstrate to eastern nations implication of coming to terms with communism and to convince them of interdependence of east and west and necessity for close cooperation.
- 5.
- British economic survey of SEA area nearing completion and should be in Bevin’s hands before his departure for US late this month. Survey stresses necessity for increasing food production which should have priority over all other economic aid. Methods for increasing occidental-oriental trade being studied and special attention being given to specific commodities which would figure in such trade. But inescapably there must be some reasonable solution dollar-sterling problem.
Douglas