293. Letter 20 from McConaughy to Johnson1
This letter will be short since not much has transpired since I wrote you on the 14th.
The Secretary has noted that it would seem at some point we should try to smoke out the Chinese Communists by asking them whether the matters they have proposed constituted the only matters they have at issue with the U.S. The Secretary observes that the purpose of the talks was to discuss such matters and he thinks we might ask that they should bring out everything that is in their minds. Otherwise the talks cannot serve their agreed purpose.
The foregoing is related to your remarks about whether the raising of other subjects by either side is precluded. I do not believe that anyone on our side thinks that as of now the raising of subjects other than the four mentioned under Item Two is ruled out. The only question is whether a deadline should be established for the introduction of new subjects.
Some of Judge Phleger’s people and also Ralph Clough, are working on material for your possible use in connection with the renunciation of force item. We are in something of a dilema in that any elaboration [Facsimile Page 2] of our position on support of the GRC, the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Mission of the 7th Fleet, and the presence of MAAG units in Taiwan tends to get us involved in a discussion involving the essential interests if not the rights of the GRC. Yet avoidance of all mention of these matters and of our position on the juridical status of Taiwan puts us in a false position of seeming to have no defensible position and nothing to say in response to Wang’s ripostes. It would look as if our position were entirely defensive and untenable. It would almost seem that we were ashamed to even attempt to defend our position. Somehow we must work out a means of addressing forthrightly our basis stance without getting bogged down in a counter productive dispute.
I am enclosing a copy of an important speech which Mr. Robertson made at Davidson College on October 15. This will be of considerable background use to you. You will note that our problems are specifically dealt with beginning on the bottom of Page 5, running through Page 9. This speech is being given heavy play by the VOA throughout the FE [Typeset Page 409] although it was not carried as a State Department press release. We expect to put it in the State Department Bulletin soon.
[Facsimile Page 3]The Secretary is still taking a firm position against travel of American correspondents to Communist China while the 19 are still held. He reaffirmed this position to a CBS Executive recently. The pressure for immediate relaxation is undiminished.
The pouch is closing. We are meeting this afternoon on the guidance for your Thursday meeting. We hope to get this out tomorrow so you will have time to assimilate the telegram and come back at us if necessary before your meeting. You did well to get the meetings established on a weekly schedule without any adverse reaction from Wang.
Krishna Menon saw the Secretary alone on the 15th. I do not have any report on what transpired yet. I hope we can send a report on anything of direct interest within the next few days.
Good wishes,
Sincerely,
Enclosure:
Speech of Mr. Robertson
- Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Secret; Official–Informal.↩