Cablegram 1757 CANBERRA, 16 December 1946
Following received from Australian Legation, Nanking.
‘I have been asked by General Chou En Lai [1] to support request from China Liberated Areas Relief Association (C.L.A.R.A) to present U.N.R.R.A. Council meeting in Washington for favour of direct U.N.R.R.A.-C.L.A.R.A. agreement for supply and distribution of relief in the Communist held areas. The Communists claim that under present U.N.R.R.A.-C.L.A.R.A. agreement 2% only of the relief supplies unloaded in China since November 1945 have gone to these areas, where the bulk of the remainder of U.N.R.R.A.
programme should fairly be sent. The Communists wish to nominate a representative of C.L.A.R.A. to state the case in Washington.
Shaw.’ In view of past concern over distribution in China would appreciate your comments and report of any discussion on point raised above. [2]
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1 General Chou En-lai, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Parry.
2 Brigden subsequently reported that the question had not arisen at the Council meeting, adding that such matters were usually left to the Committee for the Far East in China with the final decision being made by the Central Committee of UNRRA.
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[AA:A1067, R46/3/9]