Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, China, Volume II

263. Telegram From the Consul General at Geneva (Gowen) to the Department of State¹

Geneva, May 30, 1955—6 p.m.

1034. Re urtels 1012, 1019, 1035, and 1046 to Geneva.² Today I had meeting at Hotel Beau Rivage Geneva with Communist representative Shen Ping and his aides Hsiou and Yeh.³ I was accompanied by Shillock. Meeting lasted about three hours. Language French.

I said I had called meeting by order my government and reverted Communist action in delaying this meeting⁴ especially as we had told them we had urgent matters to communicate. I thereupon delivered revised lists detained Americans. I then made prescribed statement your 1012 very strongly emphasizing my government’s and people’s deep grave concern prolonged tragic plight Americans in Communist China.

I repeated our previous urgent requests we be furnished prompt detailed up-to-date news re welfare whereabouts these Americans that they be permitted to correspond with their families and expressed our very strong view all be released and repatriated. I contrasted tragic status these Americans in Communist hands with excellent treatment extended by US to Chinese students still in USA who are entirely free to return to Communist China if they wish do so and pointed our how very well and generously they had always been treated. I fully recited and stressed every point in your 1012 and 1045 [1046]. After I had completed my statement Hsiou read it back to me and then translated it to Shen who reading from prepared statement said “First of all I wish to say I am authorized to inform you that on May 24 of this year Military Tribunal of Supreme Court of Popular Republic of China ordered following Americans immediately expelled from our country, namely: Rowland Williams Parks, Lyle Willis Cameron, Edwin Louis Heller, and Harold Edwin Fischer, all members American Air Force. While piloting American military planes, they had repeatedly and illegally penetrated air space over our country during period from September 1952 to April 1953. From this action of ours your side can well see our side is desirous to make efforts insofar as that may be possible with a view to contributing to relaxing international tension.”

I so confined myself to saying his statement would be reported to my government and asked if these men had already left Red China or if not when they would leave and whence and by what means and if he knew state their health. Shen said he did not know whether they had actually left but that he would inquire and let me know. He then repeated with a smile of complacency his government is desirous to relax international tension. I said we are anxious to see all Americans in Red China released and repatriated. I added their tragic plight continues to cause greatest concern my government and people and that his side could well furnish us with full timely news as to their status and welfare, facilitate exchange correspondence and take action to send all of our people home. (In view delicate political factors involved which only Department can evaluate I did not go beyond this in replying to Shen’s statement.⁵ I felt his complacency was certainly out of place. The ordered release of four innocent Americans after such a long painful period illegal detention reflects no generosity of course and is nothing in my opinion Communist can brag about. Obviously Communists exploiting every move to spread their well-known propaganda to subserve their own ruthless purposes and nothing else).

Shen continued: “I have noted your statement under orders of your government and shall inform my government accordingly. Any delay in holding these meetings stems from having await orders our respective governments. This procedure established during Geneva Conference. When my government receives report today’s meeting with lists you gave me today, all matters mentioned by you will be examined and we shall give you our government’s reply. Today we have given you good news as we desire relax international tension. We cannot consider any protest as all Americans in China who have not committed crimes are perfectly free.[”] Here I said if they are free why do they not get permission to leave and why do families fail to receive news from them. After some hesitation Shen said all I said would be reported to his government and also my mention to expedite exchange letters and our desire remove restrictions Red Cross parcels would be reported Chinese Red Cross.

As soon as we sat down at meeting Shen very hurriedly read statement re expulsion four aforesaid Air Force men. I interrupted saying I had called meeting and therefore wished make first statement after which I would note their statement. To this Shen readily agreed and meeting took proper course. Fact Shen immediately referred to airmen denotes his desire give this special significance.

Shen and his aides seemed more relaxed than previously and again were first to shake hands on arrival and departure.

Gowen

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.1111/5–3055. Confidential; Niact. Repeated for information to London, New York, and Hong Kong.
2. Telegram 1012 to Geneva, May 14, instructed Gowen to request another meeting with the Chinese Communist consular representative in Geneva in order to present a revised list of Americans detained in China and to make representations on their behalf, and to state that U.S. restrictions had been removed in every case of a Chinese student expressing the desire to leave the United States. The telegram stated for Gowen’s information that all restraining orders previously issued to Chinese students had been rescinded except for two individuals who no longer wished to leave the United States. (Ibid., 293.1111/5–1455) Telegram 1019 to Geneva, May 17; telegram 1035, May 19; and telegram 1046, May 23, supplemented and corrected the instructions in telegram 1012. (Ibid., 293.1111/5–1655, 293.1111–Gordon, Frederick A./5–1955, and 293.1111/5–2355, respectively)
3. For text of a statement concerning the meeting, made to the press on June 1 by a Department of State spokesman, see Department of State Bulletin, June 13, 1955, pp. 953–954.
4. Telegram 970 from Geneva, May 16, reported that a meeting had been requested for May 17, but telegram 975 from Geneva, May 17, reported that the Chinese had replied that that day was “not convenient” and that “We will let you know when time is convenient”. Telegram 1030 from Geneva, May 30, reported that the meeting had just been arranged for that day. (Department of State, Central Files, 293.1111/5–1655, 293.1111/5–1755, and 293.1111/5–3055, respectively)
5. Telegram 1082 to Geneva, May 30, instructed Gowen to express appreciation for the release of the four airmen but to stress U.S. concern with the detention of the remaining Americans and to point out that the American public’s resentment was bound to grow if immediate corrective action was not taken. (Ibid.) Telegram 1035 from Geneva, May 30, reported that telegram 1082 had been received after the meeting. (Ibid.)