Office of the Historian

692. Telegram 124 to Geneva1

Washington, August 6, 1956, 7:33 p.m.
[Facsimile Page 1]

124. For Johnson.

Guidance for August 9 meeting.

1.
Belated release Bishop Pinger provides good opportunity to underscore again US view that Chinese Communists have failed to carry out commitment in Agreed Announcement to release Americans expeditiously. Nearly one year has passed since Communists made their pledge and ten Americans remain in jail. No reasonable man could describe Communist performance as expeditious.
2.
Take Communists to task for refusing prisoners permission to communicate with British Chargé. This is outright violation of Agreed Announcement. Inform Wang we know Clifford was specifically refused permission to write O’Neill (Hong Kong’s 108 to Department repeated Geneva 4) and we presume others also turned down since half of those still in prison have not written. Contrast this with our offer to allow Indian Embassy to visit any prisoner whether or not he has written.
3.
FYI In view of recent Communist invitations to American students and journalists to visit Communist China (Deptel 123) we consider it timely to remind Communists again how strongly we feel about their continued [Facsimile Page 2] detention of our citizens. You should not mention [Typeset Page 1131] invitations in your presentation but allow Communists to draw their own conclusions. END FYI
4.
FYI We have not yet heard from O’Neill regarding request to visit American prisoners that he was instructed to make. Neither have we been informed by Red Cross whether they will undertake interviews with Chinese prisoners here. Consequently you should defer any comment on these subjects until next meeting. END FYI
5.
Press for Communist acceptance US April 16 renunciation of force draft using same arguments as last meeting and previously. Avoid specific comment on embargo question by linking it to renunciation of force declaration in same manner as last meeting.
Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/8–656. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Clough; cleared by McConaughy and Phleger.↩