141. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Dulte 4. Eyes only Acting Secretary for President from Secretary. Dear Mr. President:
We have just finished the first day of the Conference and matters are going smoothly. I had a recorded broadcast for Australia which was given Sunday evening2 with some repeats Monday morning, and it received a very good press. There is widespread appreciation of my having come, particularly in view of the absence of the British and French Foreign Minister.
[Page 312]I find considerable concern on the part of our Asian friends with reference to our Chinese Communist nonrecognition policy. There are constantly repeated stories of forthcoming change, the latest being an interview of Meyer Kestenbaum at Honolulu. I am therefore planning to make a statement tomorrow3 reaffirming our policy of recognition of the Republic of China, nonrecognition of the Communist regime and non-seating of the Communist regime in the United Nations. I hope this will allay the present nervousness.
We are having magnificent weather which would be good for your cough which I hope is better.4
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 110.11–DU/3–1157. Secret; Priority. Received at 8:13 a.m.↩
- March 10. For text of the Secretary’s radio remarks, see Department of State Bulletin, March 25, 1957, p. 494.↩
- For text of this statement, made at the morning session of the March 12 meeting and released to the press that same day, see ibid., April 1, 1957, p. 531.↩
- In his reply, also sent March 11, the President in part commented: “I am delighted that things are going well with you and do hope that you feel repaid for the long trip you have made to attend the meeting. You are, of course, correct in giving our friends reassurance that under existing circumstances we shall not vary our policy toward Communist China.” (Transmitted in Tedul 10 to Canberra; Department of State, Central Files, 110.11–DU/3–1157)↩