Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXX, China

208. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Poland¹

Washington, November 15, 1966, 1:16 p.m.

84624. (A) Warsaw’s 1165;² (B) Bucharest’s 626.³

1. Department has carefully considered your suggestion in Ref A that we take initiative in suggesting to ChiComs change of venue of Warsaw talks from present neutral Polish ground to alternating between US and ChiCom Embassies. Without prejudice to possibility of taking such initiative somewhat later, we have concluded it undesirable raise this issue with ChiComs at present time.

2. Primary factor this conclusion is current complexity and sensitivity of discussions and considerations affecting ChiRep. US initiative to shift venue of talks, if leaked by accident either here or intentionally by ChiComs, would lend itself so easily to misinterpretation that it could have significant and serious effect on course of ChiRep debate.

3. Furthermore, degree of uncertainty and vagueness as to actual ChiCom intentions on talks (ref B) suggests desirability of caution on our part in moving at current time. We believe it may be preferable for us to sit tight and wait to see whether ChiComs make move on change in venue rather than attempt preempt them.

4. Depending on developments in next month, however, we do not rule out suggesting possible shift in venue to ChiComs along lines your suggestions at January meeting. Our present thinking, however, is any such feeler to ChiComs should be in lowest possible key, preferably by informal, private approach after meeting rather than by raising issue in formal letter or in open session. We will, in any event, be prepared deal with this issue if ChiComs raise it at January meeting.

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL CHICOM-US. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Paul H. Kreisberg of EA/ACA; cleared by William W. Thomas of EA/ROC, Louise McNutt of EA/RA, and Jacobson; and approved by Berger.
2. Telegram 1165 from Warsaw, November 9, referred to a report from Geneva that the Romanian Charge had told Consul General Roger W. Tubby the Chinese Communists might be interested in moving the Ambassadorial talks to Rangoon because they thought Gronouski had given the Poles information about the talks. Gronouski noted that the Soviets or the Poles might have discussed information from their tapes of the talks with the Chinese or that the Chinese might suspect the taping and want an excuse to move the talks from Warsaw. He suggested a U.S. proposal to the Chinese to hold all subsequent talks alternating in each other’s Embassies. (Ibid.) The Geneva report was in telegram 1466 from Geneva, November 4. (Ibid., POL 17 ROM–POL)
3. Telegram 626 from Bucharest, November 11, reported that Ambassador Richard H. Davis had asked Acting Foreign Minister Macovescu the source of statements by Romanian representatives in Rangoon, Moscow, and Geneva to the effect that the Warsaw talks were to be shifted to Rangoon. Macovescu had replied that the reports had come from diplomatic sources in Rangoon and not from the Chinese. (Ibid.)