Memorandum from A. Guy Hope to Mr. Perkins

-600.00 STANDARD FORM NO. 64 543,1410 Office Memorandum UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 35 1952 TO CA - Mr. Perkins OF missing DATE: January 23, 1952 FROM CA - Mr. Hope pyst File DC/R SUBJECT: British Shipping in China Mainland Trade. 2/21/52 LBW In a memorandum sent by the British Embassy on January 14, 1952 to the Department in regard to the memorandum sent by the Secretary to Mr. Eden, containing the text of Admiral Fechteler's memorandum to the President, the following statement was made: "His Majesty's Government would support action by the United Nations to prohibit the carriage of strategic goods in the ships of member states, but are not willing to take unilateral action to this effect." This would seem to be the opportunity we have been waiting for in connection with our proposed UN AMC resolution, but, unfortunately, there are procedural reasons which seem to make it inadvisable to take the British up on their offer at this time. $20 First, unless there is some extraordinary momentum, as would be caused by some decisive action in respect to the Korean truce talks, there may no longer be sufficient time (before Feb. 6-10) to get a resolution through the AMC and into the GA for decision. Second, FE has concurred in a recommendation by Park Armstrong to the Secretary that no action be taken until a joint US-UK working group in the Pentagon submits its report in mid-February on trade with China. Third, it appears that as long as the Korean truce talks jog along, few countries seem disposed to take any action in regard to implementing the UN embargo more effectively. Fourth, it might be disadvantageous to take the British up on this offer if, by doing so, we would give them an excuse for delay in regard to other matters such as charter and sale of vessels to Communists and trade with the China mainland. If the matter is not taken up now, it will apparently be taken up af the joint US-UK group has submitted its report on China trade. At that time it could be handled in several ways: 1. It could be decided, after discussion, to refer this question, as well as all the other outstanding matters in connection with trading with Communist China, to the AMC with a view to turning out either: a. A resolution calling upon members of the UN to undertake certain actions in order more effectively to implement the UN POE resolution DECLASSIFIED IN PART E.O. 13526 080478 Authority RAC 3/14/12 NLT- KOREANWAR-53-21-1 100 NARA JO Date 2/5/13