583. Letter 39 from McConaughy to Johnson1
There is not much pass on to you this time. I am enclosing a copy of Defense’s instruction to the MAC on the missing servicemen. This instruction gives the Defense analysis of the shortcomings in the Communist so-called accounting of March 1. This was drafted about three weeks ago in Defense and has just been cleared.
Your prediction as to the likely reaction of Wang to our second revision of the renunciation of force draft was accurate. I should be surprised if his considered reaction at the next meeting is any different from his off the cuff response at the meeting yesterday. However he will be somewhat more on the defensive following this initiative of ours. You will be able to press him very hard to come up with some revision of his own which would take into account our minimum requirements. We have just received your 1799 and will have some comments on Monday or Tuesday.
We are about ready to mail copies of the Agreed Announcement to the individuals named by Wang whose addresses we have been able to find. We have decided to send out a mere one sentence transmitting letter. It will be in mimeograph form on State Department letterhead but without signature. It will be a circular and the names and addresses will appear only on the envelope. In this way we hope to avoid causing any particular [Facsimile Page 2] uneasiness on the part of the recipient. The letters will be sent by registered mail and the Indian Embassy will be informed. However, we will not give the addresses to the Indian Embassy. At this stage we of course want nothing said about this project to anyone. A copy of the proposed form letter is enclosed along with the printed copy of the Agreed Announcement which we are using. This is the same printed form which was placed on Post Office Bulletin Boards all over the country. You will note it mentions the Indian Embassy in Washington and gives the address.
We are in rather a bad situation with the COCOM and CHINCOM countries because of the delay in the formulation of a U.S. position on the proposed relaxation of the trade controls. We are between the frying pan and the fire on this because of strong congressional sentiment against any concessions at this time. The Foreign Aid Bill may be jeopardized if any concessions are made. Yet the British, the Japanese and [Typeset Page 931] the French feel compelled to move rapidly and are urging an early CG meeting. I fear the Chinese Communists are well aware of the awkward situation that has developed. They apparently recognize that they do not need to make any move in the Geneva talks or elsewhere. So I do not anticipate that you will be troubled with the trade issue in your talks.
We are doing a brief talking paper on the Geneva talks for the Secretary for possible use at this forthcoming NATO meeting. We are not going very deeply into the subject in the talking paper. We will send you a copy even though it is pretty cut and dried.
I was glad to get your letters No. 27 and 28 of April 8. I [Facsimile Page 3] sympathize with your position on a number two adviser and hope we can take care of your needs. If you feel strongly that the number two man must have a knowledge of Chinese, the suggestion of an arrangement with the CONGEN at Geneva will not work out. For the present anyway we can keep Holdridge there.
We were very sorry to hear of Pat’s illness. I hope she is fully recovered now and that better fortune will be yours. Regards and all the best.
Sincerely,
Enclosures:
- 1.
- Telegram to CINCUNC Tokyo DA 900776
- 2.
- Proposed letter to individuals named by Wang with copy of Agreed Announcement.
- Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Secret; Official–Informal.↩