295. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State1
133. During call on Macmillan this afternoon I delivered to him the message contained in your 171 July 11. Macmillan expressed complete agreement with text of oral communication to be delivered to Chou En-lai, lending to proposed conversations increased flexibility. Although he had not seen text of Nehru’s message from Rome [Cairo]2 in reply to the President’s communication, he had understood from discussions at Chequers that Nehru had felt original draft too restrictive. He expressed gratification action could be initiated before opening of “summit” meeting.
Macmillan noted that O’Neill, new British Chargé d’Affaires, had now arrived in Peiping and this would serve as excellent occasion for delivery of message. He suggested that telegram to Peiping [Page 646] be repeated to New Delhi with added personal message to Nehru asking him give proposal his warm support.
After consideration, I volunteered to recommend to Department that Macmillan be authorized to request Nehru, if consulted by Chinese Communists, give proposal his warm support.
Please instruct urgently.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/7–1255. Top Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution. Received at 2:08 p.m.↩
- Transmitted in telegram 60, supra.↩
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Dulles replied in telegram 201 to London, July 12, marked “Eyes only Ambassador from Secretary,” which he drafted and signed. It reads as follows:
“Assume that Macmillan now instructing Chargé Peiping according to Para 1 my 171 [Document 293.]
“President is cabling Nehru as repeated to London 200 [telegram 80 to New Delhi, Document 297] and you may show to Macmillan. I think that this renders unnecessary repeating to New Delhi telegram to Peiping but see no objection to Macmillan cabling to Nehru that Macmillan is authorized by me to let Nehru know about the message and that Macmillan urges Nehru to give proposal his warm support.” (Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/7–1255)
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