66. Telegram 418 from Geneva1
418. From Johnson.
Following are our general observations thus far. While Wang has been bargaining hard he has been avoiding uncompromising and extreme positions usually taken by Communist negotiators. At today’s meeting in particular his review of my previous statements was notably accurate and devoid of usual attempts at distortion and misrepresentation. In fact he seemed entirely to accept my previous statements as meeting the requests embodied in his points two and three and while mentioning point one in effect dropped it. He is acting much more in tradition of old time Chinese bargainer than Communist diplomat.
He has almost completely avoided usual Communist cliches and language as interpreted by his translator which is basis reports our messages tends be considerably more brittle than in original Chinese.
He is uniformly courteous at meetings and I now have definite impression from manner as well as substance that they desire reach agreements.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–1155. Confidential.↩