Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

the OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON DECLASSIFICO Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 September 15, 1950 State By DEB NLT, Date 6-7-85 E F SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS FOREIGN MINISTERS In their fifth session the three Foreign Ministers discussed questions relating to the Far East and reached substantial agreement on the method of handling the problems of Chinese representation and Formosa in the UN. After the Secretary outlined the US position on the Chinese representation question, Bevin stressed the desirability of siding with the surge of Asiatic nationalism and suggested that support of Chiang Kai-shek risks alienating the Asiatic peoples and provides China with no alternative but domination by the Soviets. Bevin stressed the UK desire to reach agreement with us on the question or at least to mini- mize the divergence of US-UK views. Although Bevin did not make a commitment to oppose seating the Chinese Communists, the Ministers agreed that if the proposal to seat the Chinese Communists at the out- set of the General Assembly proved unsuccessful, they would support an examination of the criteria for seating rival claimants on the under - standing that the Chinese Communists claim would be examined on its merits. With respect to the Formosan question the Foreign Ministers agreed to support the US proposal that a commission be established to investigate the charges of aggression against Formosa but decided that the western powers would oppose the appearance of Chinese Com- munists before the Security Council. In a discussion of Indochina, Foreign Minister Schuman outlined French difficulties and expressed French concern about the economic and financial problems in the development of military forces, which he felt were beyond the capacity of either France or the Associated States to solve. Schuman was concerned about the threat of Communist China and the dangerous situation which would be created if the Communists were equipped with modern air- craft. He pointed out that France had requested tactical air support from the US but had received only aircraft and expressed the desire of the French to hold military talks on the whole Indochina problem. In reply the Secretary pointed out the strong support given by the US to the French military effort and the substantial economic aid ex- tended by the US. The Secretary stated that the US was willing to supply military equipment but not funds for local use and that, while