Memorandum of Conversation

DEPARTMENT OF STATE n Memorandum of Conversation (TELEPHONE) DATE: February 28, 1951 SUBJECT: Sanctions Against Chinese Commists PARTICIPANTS: Mr. C. A. Gerald Mende, Counselor, British Embassy Ward P. Allen - EUR COPIES TO: EUR CA - Mr. Barnett SE RET'INN TO BNA - Mr. Raynor USUN UNA - Mr. Bancroft UNP - Mr. Popper NA -Mr. Johnson NA . Room 328.1 FE - Miss Bacon U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16 61120 I called Mr. Meade to inquire whether some action might be taken to expedite a response from the UK as to their views on US proposals for economic sanctions. He responded that the Embassy was expecting word from London "very shortly" and agreed that if nothing had been received by Friday, March 2, he would, after discussing the matter with me, send a special tele- gran to London to the effect that the State Department was becoming very anxious that the discussions move forward. Mr. Meade remarked that frankly one factor which "might delay things a bit" is the "optimistic" view of the Good Offices Committee which inter- prets the failure of the Chinese Commists so far to reply to the GOC communication of February 14 as indicating that they are considering it faverably, and would be willing to negotiate a settlement. I responded that I doubted that their silence warranted this interpretation; furthermore, it seemed to me possible that this was a tactic on the Communists' part to fore- stall any move toward additional measures by the UN and one that could be kept up for weeks and months. I expressed the hope that the British Government would not on this account delay the confidential expression to us of their views on the problem of economic sanctions. Mr. Meade further remarked that as to diplomatic sanctions he expected he would encounter serious difficulties in obtaining a substantial majority in the UN for our proposals, indicating that the UK understands that France DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 By NLT- He NARS, Date 10-25-11