1. Editorial Note
Ambassador to Czechoslovakia U. Alexis Johnson and Chinese Ambassador to Poland Wang Ping-nan held a series of meetings in Geneva between August 1, 1955, and December 12, 1957. Documentation concerning their meetings is in Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, volume III and volume III Microfiche Supplement. At their last meeting, Johnson informed Wang that he was being transferred from Prague to a new post and that Edwin W. Martin had been designated to replace him as the United States representative; see volume III, page 657.
A letter of January 14, 1958, from Wang to Johnson refused to accept this arrangement and stated that if the United States intended to continue the talks it should designate a representative of ambassadorial rank. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1958, pages 1129–1130. It was transmitted in telegram 588 from Geneva, January 15. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/1–1558)
A January 20 memorandum from Robertson to Dulles recommended naming an ambassador to resume the talks within 2 or 3 months. (Ibid., 611.93/1–2058) A January 21 memorandum from Dulles’ Special Assistant, Joseph N. Greene, Jr., stated that Dulles wished to defer action until after a pending visit to China by the mothers of three imprisoned Americans. It reads in part as follows:
“The Secretary’s particular concern is that if we move to resume the Geneva talks, we may find that following release of the prisoners the only things left to talk about are those subjects which the Communists insist upon. He feels that with the transfer of Ambassador Johnson and the Chinese reply to notification thereof, we may have a plausible opportunity to break off the talks and that if we do not take advantage of this opportunity, we may be in for trouble.” (Ibid., Geneva Talks Files: Lot 71 D 368, Geneva talks—Memos)
These documents are in the Supplement.