Washington, 2 April 1971
1746. Top Secret Eclipse<
Chinese Representation
I have obtained the following information in very great confidence and it is important that there should be no leakage and no repetition back to any Americans.
2. The National Security Council considered Chinese Representation a few days ago.
President Nixon presided and others present included Vice President Agnew, 1 the Secretary of State (Rogers), the Secretary of the Treasury (Connally)2 and the Attorney General (Mitchell).3 The general feeling was in favour of dual representation and many of those present thought that the President was in a position to make a decision. However he did not do so and is still considering the matter.
3. Mr Rogers is of the opinion that the President will not make any decision until after he has delivered his public statement on Vietnam on 7 April. The President wants to be completely satisfied in his own mind on the rights of the course before he authorises anything. I understand the President is looking at the matter in detail, and not simply in broad terms. He is considering various aspects of the Important Question resolution. The President also feels that Chinese representation is being talked about too widely at present particularly on what purports to be American official thinking.
4. As far as individual opinions are concerned I understand that Vice President Agnew has not committed himself one way or the other though he has informed himself thoroughly on the question. He is expected to support loyally whatever President Nixon decides.
5. The Secretary of the Treasury, Mr Connally, favours dual representation.
He believes that in order to have any prospect of achieving this we have to demonstrate that we are genuinely seeking such an outcome and not looking instead for a specious device for continuing to keep Peking out of the United Nations.
Mr Connally is therefore inclined to think that the United States should assert positively (though not necessarily at this stage) that it wants to see Peking in the United Nations and of course he would go on to make the retention there of Taiwan an essential element. Mr Connally carries great weight politically and the President respects his judgement. Mr Rogers is seeing that Mr Connally is being kept fully briefed not only on Chinese representation but on many other international questions.
6. There is a feeling that once the President has made up his mind there will need to be a considered approach to Chiang Kai Shek personally. Thought is being given as to how and when to attempt this. One course in mind is to bring back to Washington the American Ambassador in Taiwan (McConaughy) for consultations and briefing and have him then to talk to Chiang.
[ matter omitted ]
Plimsoll.
[NAA: Al838, 3107/38/18]
1 Spiro Agnew, US Vice-President.
2 John B. Connally, US Secretary of the Treasury.
3 John N. Mitchell, US Attorney-General.