RELEASE OF U.S. AIRMEN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27679, 8 June 1955, Page 13

RELEASE OF U.S. AIRMEN

Action May Back Mr Menon’s Talks

(N.Z- Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 7. State Department officials expect Communist China to announce the release of more imprisoned United States airmen before India’s special envoy, Mr Krishna Menon, begins high-level talks here later this week on Far East tensions.

A Reuter correspondent reported that these officials believe the release would be timed to coincide with Mr Menon’s Washington talks on the question of bringing the United States and Communist China together to work out Far East problems. The prisoners issue was taken up by Mr Menon with the President of Communist China, Mr Mao Tse-tung, and the Prime Minister, Mr Chou Enlai, during Mr Menon’s 10-day visit to China last month. Just before the Indian envoy went to London for current talks with the British Government, the Chinese announced that four of the 15 captive United States airmen would be released.

President Eisenhower interpreted this gesture as an implied token on the part of the Chinese to do something in helping relieve tensions. The State Department quickly exerted new pressures for the release of the remaining 11 men. In diplomatic quarters it was felt that Mr Menon’s hand in the forthcoming Washington talks would be considerably strengthened if China were to back up its words about peaceful coexistence with the actual deed of returning the 11 captive airmen. The State Department is also concerned about 40 other United States civilians now held in China—2s under arrest, three under house arrest, and 12 unable to get exit permits—and is in contact with the Communist Chinese through representatives at Geneva. The Indian envoy is coming to Washington to get the United States views on his “soundings” of the Chinese and their proposals on ways of settling th? dangerous issues over Formosa, and United States-China relations generally.

No Meeting With President He is to confer with the Secretary of State, Mr John Fbster Dulles, but so far no fixed arrangements have been made for him to meet President Eisenhower. A recent Washington meeting between the President and Mr Menon was reliably reported to have been “cool.”

The Reuter correspondent said there was no doubt that an early Chinese decision to free the remaining airmen would have a very favourable impact upon the American public, and in the opinion of Washington diplomats would assure a meeting between Mr Eisenhower and Mr Menon.

Press reports from London published here quoted informed sources as saying that Mr Menon had unfolded there a three-point Formosa cease-fire plan which was said to have Communist Chinese support. It would provide for a renunciation of force as an instrument of policy by both the Chinese. Communisis and Nationalists, a Nationalist withdrawal from the offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu and a conference between the two Chinese regimes on settling their differences.

Mr Menon has said the Communists will be willing to negotiate with the Nationalists on the Formosa issue. The Nationalist Foreign Minister, Mr George Yeh, retorted that the proposal was “not worth any comment.”