Canberra, 20 December 1972
Secret
China
Attached is a draft telegram1 replying to telegram 58702 and 58713 from Paris (also attached).
2. We have two reasons for suggesting 1800 hours Canberra time on 22 December as the time for releasing the communique and your exchange of messages with Premier Chou. First, that would be in time to catch the 7 p.m. radio and TV news. Secondly, it would enable us to inform other governments after the signing (7 a.m. here on 22 December) but before the release. If you agree with this, we shall prepare for your approval telegrams to the posts in the countries which we have been keeping informed.
3. Also attached is a draft press release covering the communique and the exchange of messages.4
4. You may be asked questions after the release. We accordingly attach a list of possible questions together with suggested replies.5
5. Huang again raised the question of ROC property. While we have no legal grounds for intervening at this stage to hold up sales, we could go some way towards meeting now the Chinese concern by having the Department release immediately a warning to prospective purchasers about the situation after the communique is signed. (We had earlier offered to issue such a warning once the communique was released.) Prior release would have the advantage of reinforcing Renouf’s assurances to Huang, and we could let Renouf have the text and show it to Huang as evidence of our good faith. Attached is a draft press release and a draft telegram to Paris.6 Should Huang ask why we have not issued such a warning before, Renouf could well say that this was impossible until we were confident that the terms of recognition would be agreed.
6. There are two other matters which need to be raised with Huang at an early stage: Francis James,7 and the opening of our Embassy in Peking. There could be advantage in Renouf’s raising these matters at the time the communique is signed. For example, it might enable you to answer questions here positively. But there could also be advantages in taking these matters up in a later interview. We think Renouf would have a better ‘feel’ on this than we, and propose that he be given discretion as to when he raises these matters. A draft telegram is attached.8
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38118/6, ii]
1 Final is Document 376.
2 Document 373.
3 Document 374.
4 See footnote 2, Document 381.
5 Not published.
6 Final is Document 377.
7 See footnote 6, Document 137.
8 Final is Document 378.