751. Letter 59 from McConaughy to Johnson1
We were pleased at the forceful manner in which you presented the case for Father McCarthy at the last meeting. Wang was very much on the defensive and his defense was weak. We have now received reports of O’Neill’s last interview with the Chinese Communists which show that in Peiping also they are holding very firmly to a logically untenable position. Copies of these reports are enclosed.
Mr. Robertson left yesterday on a four weeks’ trip to the New Zealand meeting of the Colombo powers and to several posts in the Far East. We will probably hold a meeting tomorrow to consider what line you should take at the next meeting. My present thinking is that we should continue to press them hard on the McCarthy case and implementation generally. I will try to get off a longer letter to you on Monday outlining more fully our views.
The Chinese Communists now appear to have worked themselves into the awkward position of having to either come up with a new gambit, suspend the talks or remain on the defensive.
Sincerely,
Enclosures:
Copies of Texts of 3 telegrams from British Charge.
- Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Secret; Official–Informal. Drafted by Clough.↩