241 Officer to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram 58 NANKING, 4 February 1949, 12.00 noon

IMMEDIATE TOP SECRET

Your telegram 24. [1] What I suggest is a very brief statement on the lines of that in my immediately following telegram.

2. This avoids any detailed references to the existing situation.

I think this is desirable to prevent any possible suspicion of 'interference in China's internal affairs'.

1 Dispatched 3 February, it requested a statement with reference to the present situation, its causes and future.

[FA:OUTWARD ORIGINAL (TS) 1948-501

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade