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

57. Telegram 440 to Geneva¹

Washington, August 10, 1955, 6:56 p.m.

440. For Johnson. Your 364 August 9.

1. Concur you should stand on position that the first necessity is for CHICOMS to match US position regarding return if desired. Only when the principle of free return has been conceded is it useful to consider the means, if any, needed to implement this principle. In most cases, certainly in this country and surely for Americans in China, no third party intervention is needed.

2. We question fairly prolonged recess in view of Chou En-lai’s July 30 statement that “the number of American civilians in China is small and the question can be easily settled”. We believe that we should seek to hold the CHICOMS to this utterance of Chou En-lai.

3. We believe that the right of return should be conceded to all Americans but agree that we should not commit ourselves now to a “all or nothing” position.

4. We are not disposed to broaden Indian Embassy representation to cover follow up of inquiries by parents or relatives in China since this would open the way for mass appeals whereby the CHICOMS would in fact gain opportunity to intimidate or influence Chinese aliens here.

5. Agree with your next item.

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–955. Confidential. Drafted by Dulles; cleared by Robertson.