793.94/9043: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham)
322. Your 509, July 28, 8 p.m., especially last two paragraphs.
1. As replied here last week to the British Government’s suggestion of the 20th, quoted and renewed now as reported in your telegram under reference, we desire that in every practicable way there be cooperation between and among the most interested powers toward ameliorating the present north China situation. We feel, however, that both this and the British Governments have expressed clearly and repeatedly to the Japanese and the Chinese Governments our attitude and view that peace should be maintained and hostilities be avoided, and our willingness to receive sympathetically any suggestions which the disputants may put forward for assistance on our part toward resolving their controversy.
[Page 290]Can the British Government indicate to us what type of proposal it envisages as susceptible of being put forward by our two Governments toward “ending the present deadlock” in the event of the two Governments having first jointly approached the Japanese and Chinese Governments suggesting that they agree to the two points which the British Government suggested we should propose and of our having received from the Japanese and the Chinese Governments favorable responses?
2. In express reply to Eden’s invitation for any suggestion, has the British Government given any thought to the possibility of suggesting a suspension of hostilities for the purpose of and based on proposing evacuation of Peiping by all foreign personnel, both civilian and military, including Japanese, and by all Chinese military forces exclusive of the Peiping gendarmerie; or, to any possible and practicable variant of such a possibility?
3. You may read this to Eden without giving him any written text.12
- The Ambassador replied in telegram No. 516, July 30, 7 p.m., that the British Foreign Office would answer shortly (793.94/9100).↩