208. Letter From the Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (McConaughy) to Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson in Geneva1
Dear Alex: The American Red Cross gave us on September 12 their report2 on the interviews with the Chinese prisoners. They did a very thorough job. They carried out their instructions precisely, presenting the three choices very fairly and explaining the matter fully and impartially. We can say with confidence that no pressure of any sort was exerted on the prisoners, and that they were afforded an opportunity to make up their own minds on the basis of full and exact information, without any interference. Three prisoners elected to go to Mainland China, two to Taiwan, and nineteen preferred to remain in prison to serve out their sentences. The remainder had already been released under normal prison regulations. We are having [Page 429] the reports on each of the 24 cases reproduced for transmittal by pouch to you either today or Monday.
We have not yet decided whether we will bring the Indian Embassy into the picture as to the three who wish to go to Mainland China. We are leaning in that direction mainly because we want to do everything possible to influence Peiping to give O’Neill more scope in his efforts to help our imprisoned nationals. At least we want to put them as much on the defensive as possible if they refuse to give O’Neill any better access. We also would like to present the Communists with the bill for the transportation of these people. Indian participation would make that possible. On the other hand Indian participation might slow up the procedure, when we are impatient to move the three out of here as fast as possible. No final decision has been made yet. But we already are working with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Bureau of Prisons on the preliminary steps looking in the parole of the three individuals for shipment out of the country. Immigration and Naturalization Service does not care whether they are deported or leave voluntarily with Indian assistance.
The GRC is committed in writing to take any prisoners who choose Taiwan so long as the Indians are not allowed to interview the prisoners. We intend to hold them to this commitment. We had Dr. Tan in yesterday and gave him the results of the interviews. We are sending you by pouch a copy of our telegram to Taipei3 reporting on the interview and explaining why we prefer that the GRC not insist on visiting the prisoners. Tan did not raise the matter yesterday and we are hopeful that they will not rock the boat. We have had a good and complete survey and any interference with the prisoners at this stage by the GRC representatives could only be harmful.
Enclosed are various press releases on the U.S. Navy plane incident of August 23,4 including our note of protest of September 8 which the British delivered in Peiping September 11; an announcement on the reported finding by the Chinese Communists of the body of a second member of the crew, Jack Curtis; and U.S. Navy statement of September 13 announcing the discontinuance of search operations and the planned shipment of the two bodies recovered by the Communists from Shanghai to Japan on September 22.
We are also enclosing a report5 by Col. Monroe on his recent visit to the MAC concerning the accounting for the missing servicemen.
[Page 430]We are having a meeting this afternoon to discuss the guidance for your meeting of September 20. The main topic will be the question of whether we will propose any changes in the draft on renunciation of force.
Mr. Phleger was away on leave for a while and since his return has been pretty much tied up because of the Suez crisis. We expect him at the session this afternoon.
For your background things are looking a little better on the trade controls question. By agreeing to give a little ground on the China list, we have brought the Japanese more or less into line. We have had high level meetings with the British, French, Germans and Italians at which we have presented quite strongly our case for preserving a substantial China differential, with some concessions on our part. We are hoping that with Japanese support, combined with the pressures we are putting on these countries, we can hold the line at least for the near future. A CG meeting is contemplated for December.
Everybody here likes the way you handled the last meeting. While we naturally do not invite any resort to publicity by the Chinese Communists, we are prepared to meet it and do not fear it.
Keep up the good work. Regards from us all to Dave, Helenka and Col. Ekvall as well as to you.
Sincerely,