795.00/1–1051
The British Embassy to the Department of State 1
January 10,
1951, 11:30 a.m.
Substance of a Telegram Now on the Way From Mr. Bevin to Sir Oliver Franks
(Parts thereof telephoned by Mr. Parrott at 11:30 a.m. 10th January 1951)
- 1.
- (a) You should inform Mr. Acheson that the
President’s message to the Prime Minister had not been received
until after the despatch of my telegram of 9th January.2
[Page 49]
(b)
The Prime Minister sent his message to the President (my telegram of
8th January) in order to have an authoritative interpretation of the
American view on certain matters. The Prime Minister regards the
exchange of messages with the President as private and copies have
not been circulated to Commonwealth Prime Ministers.
(c) We are therefore still anxious to receive as soon as possible a considered reply to my telegram of 9th January, which was agreed by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers, in order that we may inform them of the American reaction to the proposals contained therein. - 2.
- You should explain the situation to Mr. Acheson and, as necessary, continue the representations on the lines of my telegrams of 9th January.
- 3.
- The Prime Ministers did not intend that a cease fire should be made a pre-condition of the negotiations. This, after all, is a proposal which, by implication, has already been made to, and rejected by, Peking. The proposed resolution might however be so worded as to suggest a cease fire simultaneously with the beginning of the talk.
Washington.