Telegram from Ambassador Warren Austin to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

9 TELEGRAM Department of State RETURN TO RE TELEGRAPH BRANCH 26-22-X Action Centrol: 1543 Rec'd: December 4, 1950 UNA FROM: New York 3 p.m. Info SS TO: Secretary of State G L NO: DELGA 368, December 4, 1:59 p.m. EUR NEA DUPLICATE IN W. P. FILE ARA PRIORITY FE DCR FOR HICKERSON FROM GROSS -- Re Rau talks with Wu (confirming Telecon Hickerson-Gross). Rau, Younger, Jebb and Gross meeting called by Rau, 4 December, 10 a.m. Rau advised he wished to give a full account of his two talks with Wu and Chiao. At meeting between Rau and Wu on December 1, Rau proposed to Wu an immediate cease fire with a demilitarized zone to be negotiated. Wu asked Rau for written proposal, without indicating any interest in discussing matter at the moment. At noon, on December 1. Rau gave Wu a written proposal, text of which was not produced by Rau in our meeting this morning. In reply to questions by Younger, Rau stated the written proposal contained a suggestion for immediate cease fire, for demilitarized zone to be somewhere south of the Manchurian frontier without specification. Wu stated he would transmit the proposal to Peking that same day. On December 3, in the evening, Rau had another and apparently longer talk with Wu and Chiao. Wu said that he had received no reply from Peking and that communication time required three days before answer could be expected from Peking. When Rau asked whether he was computing three days from December 1, Wu replied that he was not, but that he meant he would receive a reply in three days from December 3. Rau at his meeting with Wu Sunday night added to the suggestion he had made on December 1 the additional proposal that after agreeing to an immediate cease fire and to a demilitarized zone to be promptly negotiated, there should be a conference among representatives of "the great powers" for the purpose of dis- cussing those matters which would clearly remain for discussion. According to Rau, Wu voiced very strong resentment against "the American ruling circles" and insisted that Peking Govern- ment had real belief that the US was intent upon war with China. Rau`argued that the American people, just as the Chinese people, do not want war. Wu's reaction was cold and stated that if there were a war it would not be the fault' of the American people but of the American rulers. -9 Reverting (over) REPRODUCTION OF THIS MESSAGE IS PROHIBITED