599. Letter 32 from Johnson to McConaughy1

Letter No. 32
Dear Walter:
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I arrived down here at noon today by Air Force plane which the Czechs had permitted to come in and pick me up. I told the Czechs that only in this way could I attend the Foreign Minister’s National Day reception last night.

Incidentally, at the reception I met the Brazilian Parliamentary Delegation, led by a Miss Vargas, which had just arrived and is beginning a tour of all the Bloc as well as Communist China. They will spend some time in the United States on their return but will not be coming through Prague. I did the best I could in the hurly-burly of the big reception to brief them on Americans in China in the hope that they might do a little missionary work and at least be prepared for whatever they hear from the Chinese about it. It seemed to be a quite intelligent and very sympathetic group on the whole and I would think that it might be worthwhile for FE to keep in touch with the Brazilian Desk so [Typeset Page 956] as to have an opportunity to talk with them when they come through the United States.

Also at last night’s reception the Prime Minister (Siroky) took the initiative in asking about my negotiations here. I did a heavy missionary job on him saying I was discouraged and pessimistic because of the failure of the Chinese to carry out their promise to release the Americans, the increasingly serious adverse effects this was having in the United States, and my concern over their unwillingness to renounce force in the Taiwan area. He made no counter argument or defense on their position, and for whatever it is worth, I believe was somewhat impressed with the reasonableness of our position. He commented that it was good that we were at least talking [Facsimile Page 2] and implied the hope that the talks would not stop. When I raised the economic negotiations we are having with the Czechs in Prague he dismissed them as not really too important or difficult and not at all on the same scale of importance with our negotiations with the Chinese.

Thanks for your Letter No. 41 as well as for the very interesting enclosures.

Incidentally, with regard to the report that you mentioned was in the Hong Kong press on registration of families having students studying abroad, this report originally appeared in the Ta Kung Pao under Canton dateline of March 23 giving the full text of the proclamation by the Kwangtung government (see Hong Kong’s China Mainland Press Survey No. 1259 of April 3, page 5). I had assumed that you had seen this.

I desire to thank you most sincerely for the arrangement with regard to Dave remaining here and the family being sent over. I feel that it is the ideal arrangement from every standpoint and I am most happy that the Department has been able to work it out. Needless to say, Dave is also delighted. I know that you will understand that my somewhat sharp note concerning administrative difficulties in my telegram from Prague was introduced only with the thought that it would help you in shaking loose the administrative end.

I hope that you will be equally successful in getting Ekvall’s status extended so that we will not be faced with any last minute crisis concerning him. Incidentally, he went to Paris over the weekend and saw Gen. Moorman, the Army Attache there, and reports that he is completely cooperative. He says Moorman fully appreciates the importance of his assignment here and says that he will not raise any question whatever concerning its extension. However, the initiative and additional orders for the extension of his detail must come from the Department of Defense and Moorman can do nothing without authorization from higher authority.

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I am afraid it is going to be more of the same old thing at tomorrow’s meeting but you will, of course, know the story before receiving this letter which I want to get off in tomorrow’s pouch. Regards to all.

Sincerely yours,

U. Alexis Johnson
American Ambassador
  1. Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Secret; Official–Informal. Johnson signed the original “Alex.” A marginal note by McConaughy next to the paragraph concerning Colonel Ekvall’s status reads: “Request for extension made by phone to [illegible in the original] of Defense on 5/27. He promised to check with [illegible in the original] G–2!”