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Historical documents

232 Officer to Department of External Affairs

Cablegram 28 NANKING, 22 January 1949, 10.15 a.m.

IMMEDIATE SECRET

Your telegram No.8 [1] This will be the attitude of practically
all Missions here including, I understand now, the Soviet.

2. But all missions intend also to send representatives to Canton
when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs actually moves there, to
maintain contact with it. I would propose, therefore, when the
time comes to act on lines set out in paragraph (2) my telegram
No.22. [2]

3. In my opinion our actions in this regard must be designed to
avoid,
(a) any open breach with the present Government by failing to keep
in touch with them.

(b) over-commitment to Rump Government in Canton, so as to be free
to open relations with the new de facto Government should
circumstances require.

4. I consider procedure above meets for the time being both
objectives.

1 Dispatched 20 January. Canberra advised the entire Embassy staff
to remain in Nanking.

2 Dispatched in January. If the Embassy were to move to Canton,
Officer proposed leaving the Military Attache and one Embassy
official in Nanking to keep in touch with Military Headquarters
and take charge of property left behind.


[AA:A1838/283, TS3107/38, i]
Last Updated: 11 September 2013
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