Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

Washington, March 12, 1956, 6:47 p.m.

[Facsimile Page 1]

1751. For Johnson.

Guidance for March 15 meeting.

1.: Although Chinese Communist public statement of March 11 and Chou En-lai’s memorandum to Nehru (Secto 43 repeated Geneva 1750) afford little ground for optimism regarding progress talks, they do not appear to threaten early break. Maintain steady pressure on Wang on both renunciation force and implementation issues by earnest re-exposition United States position.
2.: Note issuance Chinese Communist March 11 statement without prior notice contrary understanding regarding public statements. Call attention false allegations in Communist statement, specifically setting forth that US has never forbidden Indian Embassy issue any announcement it wished.
3.: Refer to assertion in Communist statement that all Americans can contact office British Charge and ask for report failure seven of Americans in jail to communicate with British Charge.

Hoover

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/3–1256. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Clough; cleared by McConaughy and Phleger. Also sent Priority to Bangkok as telegram Tosec 61.↩

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Volume III, Microfiche Supplement, China