16. Telegram From Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson to the Department of State1
Geneva, August 11,
1955—1 p.m.
402. Following is text of draft agreement proposed today by Wang:
“Agreement on the question of the return of civilians of both sides to their respective countries adopted by the Ambassadorial representatives of the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America in their talks held in Geneva.
- 1.
- Both sides declare that the nationals of each side residing in the other who desire to return to their respective countries are entitled to depart for their respective countries. Civilians of the above description who are involved in unfinished civil or criminal cases under the laws of the country of their residence shall be entitled to the same right upon the settlement of their civil or criminal cases.
- 2.
- In order to guarantee the implementation of the above
principle, the People’s Republic of China and the United
States of America will each entrust the Republic of India
and the United Kingdom respectively with the charge of the
affairs of the return of civilians of the respective
countries residing in the other. The countries thus
entrusted shall perform the following duties:
- a.
- Upon the request of a civilian of one side residing in the other who desires to return or upon the request of his government made in his behalf the entrusted country shall make representations with the government of the country in which this civilian is residing with a view to settling his difficulty in departure;
- b.
- In the event of a civilian of one side residing in the other who desires to return and who is being prevented from doing so, the entrusted country shall, upon his personal request or the request in his behalf by his government, conduct investigations and make representations with the government of the country in which the civilian concerned is residing in accordance with the findings of the investigation with a view to arriving at a settlement;
- c.
- In the event of a civilian of one side residing in the other who desires to return and who finds difficulty in paying off the return journey the entrusted country shall render him assistance on behalf of his government.
- 3.
- Upon the acceptance of the trusteeship described above by the Republic of India and the United Kingdom in response to the requests of the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America respectively, both sides shall give wide publicity to the details of this agreement by means of all available news media. The Republic of India and the United Kingdom may also give similar publicity which they consider appropriate in the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China respectively.”
[Johnson]
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–1155. Official Use Only; Priority. Received at 9:58 a.m.↩