Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

690B.9321/11–2853: Telegram

No. 128
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China¹

secret
priority

Washington, November 30, 1953—6:11 p.m.

487. Department agrees last paragraph your 308² and believes additional pressure now called for to produce satisfactory arms showing. Aide-mémoire referred to our 473³ pointed out evacuation plan signed by China provided evacuees surrender arms at border and failure do so was breach; consequences of present tactics would be unfortunate and Chinese good faith questioned. Evacuees appearing at border should carry arms and Chinese Government should quickly state intentions re weapons collected at Monghsat.

After initial statements Burma, China, US in UN November 27 Burma item unexpectedly deferred on motion India, probably resume December 2.⁴ Only reference arms in Tsiang statement November 27, was that leader of foreign forces promised Chinese Government send arms out in bloc. Evacuees during past week have brought out very few more arms.

Most effective for China position would be positive announcement in UN by December 2 that arms being sent Monghsat to Tachilek; if this not possible definite date should be announced earliest. Department also hopes order just forwarded jungle generals to send out commensurate arms will bring early results (part 2 Bangkok’s 1083)⁵ and that this can be included in statement. Urge Foreign Minister make statement soonest.

Dulles

1. Repeated to Bangkok, Rangoon, and USUN in New York.
2. Supra.
3. Document 125.
4. For the records of discussions in the First Committee on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, see U.N. documents A/C.1/SR.677–679. The texts of statements by U.S. Representative Carey are printed in Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 4, 1954, pp. 32–34.
5. Part 2 of telegram 1083, Nov. 30, reported that I Fu-de had informed Palmer on Nov. 28 that Chou Chih-jou had just sent orders to the generals in Burma to send out weapons commensurate in number with the troops evacuated. (690B.9321/113053)