357.AD/12–1450: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
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[Received December 14—1:29 p. m.]
Delga 434. Chinese Communist views re cease-fire. Following is text memo of conversation between Rau and Cohen at Plenary this morning:
“Rau said that their communications from Peiping indicated that there was a good chance of the cease-fire being accepted by Peiping if certain preliminary points could be cleared up. One was the withdrawal of foreign troops. This Rau said, would create no difficulty. Peiping would not insist on withdrawal until after the unification of Korea. The other and most sensitive point was Formosa and Peiping’s desire to know that the Seventh Fleet would be withdrawn when the Korean situation was settled. Rau asked whether it would not be possible to get the President to reaffirm his statement regarding the withdrawal of the Seventh Fleet. I inquired whether what he had in mind was a reaffirmation by the President of his statement independently of any discussions with Peiping. Rau said that was what he had in mind. He thought there would be no suggestion of appeasement if the President on his own responsibility restated his own position simply to make clear that his position had not changed.
I told Rau I would speak with our people. Rau said he hoped we would be able to act promptly on his suggestion.”