166. Editorial Note
At the CHINCOM meeting of May 17, the United States Delegation presented a modified set of proposals on the China trade control question. According to the United States proposal, an embargo would be maintained on 26 items on List II and 52 items on List III, all of which would continue to be subject to very strict control with prior consultation and quid pro quo justification. Topol 2172 to Paris, May 13, had instructed the United States Delegation to present a proposal along those lines. (Department of State, Central Files, 493.009/5–1157)
At that meeting, the United Kingdom regretted that it did not regard these new proposals as providing the basis for an agreement, since the United States proposals did not meet any of the criteria on which the French proposal was based and which the British had fully supported. The text of the British remarks were transmitted to the Department in Polto 2730 from Paris, May 17. (Ibid., 493.009/4–1757)
[Page 459]Polto 2739 from Paris, May 17, offered the United States Delegation’s comments on the future development of the China trade control negotiations, suggesting several different courses of action which the United States might follow. (Ibid., 493.009/5–1757) Polto 2741 from Paris, May 17, commented on the reactions of the various Participating Countries to the United States proposals of May 17, noting that “no delegate accepted US proposal.” Polto 2740 from Paris, May 17, reported that the positions of the various delegates regarding the United States and French proposals introduced on May 7 “remain essentially unchanged.” The majority of the Participating Countries, it noted, “still favor French proposal and, either support it completely, or state solution must be found close to that proposal.” (Ibid.)