Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 1

396.1 GE/5–2754: Telegram

No. 200
The Secretary of State to the United States Delegation at the Geneva Conference¹

confidential

Washington, May 28, 1954—2:09 p.m.

Tosec 284. Secto 324.² It seems clear Chinese Communists are attempting, perhaps with British assistance, to use prisoner issue to bring about direct negotiations between us and Chinese Communists. I have doubts about desirability this course of action, which would probably be given large comment and play in Asia as step toward recognition. Therefore I suggest we should refrain from deputing representative to negotiate with Chinese Communists—at least pending further efforts by Trevelyan.

Dulles

1. Drafted by McConaughy and Drumright; revised by Dulles. The last clause in the second sentence appears in Dulles’ handwriting on a preliminary draft attached to the source text; the clause originally read, “which is not likely to produce results better than those obtainable by Trevelyan.”
2. Supra.