164. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1
8070. Please deliver following from President to Macmillan:
“Dear Harold: Foster has just been talking to me about the China trade situation and the message which he is sending to Selwyn Lloyd2 in reply to SELWYN’s memorandum which he gave to Jock Whitney on the evening of May 13th.3
Our military advisers are strongly of the opinion that many of the items which you would take off the China list will in fact appreciably help the Chinese Communists to build up the military potential which threatens us in this area and which we have the primary responsibility to resist. Our Congress, although less well informed on the technical details, feels strongly on this issue. As Foster is saying to SELWYN we do not feel confident that increasing the list will really help your trade very much. May it not mean merely that China’s trade with you will consist of the more strategic rather than the less strategic items?
We are, however, giving some new discretion to our representatives in Paris and hope very much that you will try to meet us as it would be unfortunate in many respects if we should split publicly on this issue.
Faithfully yours, D.E.”
Please observe Presidential Handling.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 493.119/5–1757. Secret; Niact; Presidential Handling.↩
- Infra.↩
- See Document 160.↩