893.01/10–649
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Freeman)
Mr. Winckler called this afternoon with reference to the text of a note94 (attached) which was handed to Mr. Butterworth last night by M. Daridan, Counselor of the French Embassy. The note purported to be the text of a reply from the British Government to the Chinese Communist announcement establishing a “People’s Government” and bidding for recognition by the foreign powers.
Mr. Winckler stated that the French Foreign Office in transmitting this text to the French Embassy had indicated that, according to its information, the British Consul in Peiping “had been instructed to transmit” the note at such time as he deemed opportune. Mr. Winckler added that the text of the note had apparently been received from the British Embassy in Paris, and he expressed surprise that the British Embassy in Washington had not yet communicated the text to the Department. He implied that the French Government reaction to the British note was one of astonishment that such action would be taken without consulting with the French and U.S. Governments and that the action if taken would have the effect of pulling the rug out from under the U.S. and French positions in China.
Without going into details, I informed Mr. Winckler that we were endeavoring to ascertain from the British Government whether any reply had in fact been transmitted to the Chinese Communist authorities and that I would inform him later in the premises.
In reply to my pertinent question, Mr. Winckler informed me that the French Government had instructed Consul General Breal in Peiping to call on Chou En-lai and orally acknowledge the receipt of Chou’s communication announcing the establishment of the Chinese [Page 109] Communist government informing him at the same time that the message had been transmitted to the French Government. Mr. Winckler assured me that, so far as he was aware, no further reply by the French Government was contemplated at this time.