605. Memorandum from Clough to Robertson1
SUBJECT
- Developments in Geneva Talks Since April 21
There have been only two meetings in Geneva during your absence, one on April 26 and one on May 11. A meeting was originally scheduled for May 5, but was postponed at Wang’s request. We don’t know why he requested the postponement, but suspect it might have been connected with the presence of a Chinese Communist trade mission in Warsaw.
The meeting on April 26 was relatively short (1 hour and 45 minutes). Wang flatly rejected our April 19 draft and showed no sign of willingness to compromise nor intent to offer an alternative formulation.
On May 11 Wang opened by presenting a new draft. (Tab A) It cuts out our self-defense phrase, replacing it with the phrase “without prejudice to the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.” It also cuts out the phrase “or elsewhere” in the second paragraph, thus limiting renunciation of force to the Taiwan area alone, and makes the pledge not to use force apply only to the US and the Chinese Communists by adding the words “against each other.” It also specifies the holding of a foreign minister’s conference and sets a time limit of two months for making arrangements for it.
At both meetings Wang demanded an accounting of Chinese imprisoned in the US.
Attachment: (Tab A)
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/5–1456. Confidential. Drafted by Clough.↩