Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, China, Volume XIX

268. Letter From the Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Martin) to the Ambassador in Poland (Beam)⁰

Washington, March 3, 1959.

Dear Jake: I have received your letter of February 20¹ regarding the possibility of a picnic with Wang and have discussed the idea with Mr. Robertson. Although Alex Johnson had an informal talk or two with Wang,² we feel that times have changed since then. Several years of fruitless negotiations highlighted by the failure of the Chinese Communists to carry out their agreement have gone by. We also doubt that Wang would really be forthcoming about the situation on mainland China.

Mr. Robertson expressed the opinion too that there is a certain virtue in showing moral indignation at the manner in which the Chinese Communists have treated our people. He Felt that our manifestations of such indignation at the negotiating table would be weakened by the kind of invitation which you mention. We therefore believe that you should take no initiative along these lines.

Your letter suggests that Wang will not be available for meetings in April or May. This raises the question of whether he will propose an interval of 2 months between meetings after March 19 or whether he will propose that meetings continue with a substitute. In view of the stand taken by the Communists in refusing to meet with me on the grounds that I was not an Ambassador, I presume they will not propose meetings at a lower level. If you have any thoughts on what Wang may propose and suggestions as to what our responses should be, please let us know so that we can include them in our instructions for the next meeting. Incidentally, I expect to be in Taipei on the date of the next meeting, in the course of a trip to several Far Eastern posts ending in Manila for the Far East Mission Chiefs Conference.

With best personal regards,

Sincerely yours,

Edwin W. Martin³

0. Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files: Lot 71 D 368, Warsaw Talks—Correspondence. Secret; Official–Informal.
1. The letter, filed with the source text, suggested an informal meeting with Wang. Noting that while the heavy shelling continued in the Taiwan Strait, Beam had been “quite frigid” with Wang, but that during the last week or so they had met twice at receptions, and Wang had been “quite affable.” Beam commented that no meeting would be feasible within any building in Warsaw but that a picnic lunch in the country might be arranged. (Supplement)
2. Johnson and Wang met twice informally over dinner in August 1955; see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, vol. III, pp. 58 and 70.
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.