Office of the Historian

77. Telegram From Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson to the Department of State1

Geneva, October 14, 1955—1 p.m.

85. 1. One hour forty minute meeting this morning. Wang opened with long prepared statement dealing exclusively with my last week’s statement on renunciation of force. While relatively mild in tone consisted almost entirely rehash previous positions. Said key to situation was withdrawal US forces from Taiwan. Our proposal was “abuse of principle non-recourse to force”. “Are you willing to discuss question withdrawal US forces from Taiwan?” Liberation Taiwan “cannot be made subject present talks”.

2. I replied with statement on implementation along lines Deptel 8702 and then expressed disappointment lack of responsiveness his statement our proposal. I then made statement using material latter portion para 2 Deptel 870 and pertinent material previous statement on renunciation force. There was then some give and take during which both of us largely reiterated previous statements. However he did not challenge my statement that I hoped I could interpret his remarks as meaning he did not entirely reject our proposal. Towards end he gave me opening which I used to close on theme of implementation.

3. At close I proposed normal schedule weekly meetings and he agreed subject next meeting being Thursday. Understanding is subsequent meetings will be on Thursdays.

4. Am departing for Prague tomorrow morning returning Tuesday.3

[Johnson]
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/10–1455. Confidential; Niact; Limited Distribution.↩
  2. Document 75.↩

  3. Johnson commented in telegram 867 from Geneva, October 14:

    “Notable aspect today’s meeting was Wang’s willingness discuss exclusively, albeit negatively, our renunciation of force proposal. He made no effort whatever force any discussion either of his items and his reaction to my renewed discussion of implementation was very mild. In fact as will be seen from full meeting record, during give and take he perhaps somewhat inadvertently gave U.S. credit for full implementation agreed announcement. He also readily agreed to my proposal for normally weekly meetings. His manner and tone of delivery of his opening statement was also mild and again full record of meeting prepared on basis his interpreter’s translation give somewhat harder impression than original Chinese.” (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/10–1455)

    ↩