Nixon’s China visit U.S. OFFICIALS NOT ALLOWED TO TALK

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32666, 23 July 1971, Page 13

Nixon’s China visit U.S. OFFICIALS NOT ALLOWED TO TALK

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, July 22.

A State Department gagon officials has underlined United States determination to safeguard the approach to the Peking summit meeting now that the groundwork has been laid by Dr Henry Kissinger.

Despite some furrowed brows over comments by the Chinese Prime Minister (Mr Chou En-lai) in Peking, diplomatic observers believe there is a similar disposition on the part of the Chinese not to rock the boat and to avoid prejudicing the talks in advance.

It is quite likely that China and die United States already have a good idea of the scope and range of subjects to be discussed when President Nixon flies to Peking in a few months for talks with Mr Chou and Chairman Mao.

High on the summit meeting agenda is likely to be the war in Indo-China, an eventual exchange of diplomatic missions, China’s seat tn the United Nations—if it has not already been decided by events preceding Mr Nixon’s trip—and the future of Taiwan.

20 hours talking There is a strong belief in Washington that Dr Kissinger, who went secretly to Peking as President Nixon’s emissary, would not have spent some 20 hours talking to Mr Chou without having reached some substantive, if tentative agreement on the areas which might be explored later. Mr Nixon already has moved to scotch speculation that the trip might be connected with an end to Die Vietnam war. But observers said that this subject is of such fundamental importance to the United States that President Nixon could not forgo the opportunity of talking about it The Secretary of State (Mr William Rogers) reinforced the President’s “no speculation” theme by ordering State Department officials not to discuss publicly the President’s decision to go to China or anything connected with it

No comment Thus there were no official comments on Mr Chou’s reported remarks to American students three days ago in which he made clear that China’s interest in normalising relations with Washington would not be pursued at the cost of its own allies in Indo-China. The Chinese Prime Minister was believed to have been primarily trying to assure Hanoi and the Viet Cong that China still has their interests very much in mind, while seeking more normal, relations with Wash-

ington. Mr Chou was reported by the Toronto “Globe and Mail” correspondent in Peking as having declared that a complete withdrawal of United States forces from IndoChina must take priority over the search for improved Chi-nese-American relations.

I He made clear that he , meant Laos and Cambodia as well as South Vietnam.

Taiwan moves Taiwan was campaigning among non-Communist Asian nations to build up opposition to President Nixon’s projected visit to China and the admission of Peking into the United Nations, United Press International reported. The Taiwanese counteroffensive to the new Chi-nese-American detente was expected to build up to full force during the four-day annual meeting of the world anti • Communist league (W.A.C.L.), which has begun in Manila.

The Nationalists, with the delegations from Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, South Vietnam, India and Thailand, filed draft resolu-

tions on the eve of the conference, urging the international community to “smash all schemes to introduce the Chinese Communists into the United Nations.” Senate action The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted yesterday to repeal the 1955 Formosa Resolution, which approved discretionary power for the President to use armed force to defend Taiwan and offshore islands from Chinese attack.

Senator William Fulbright (Democrat, Arkansas), said that the voice vote action by his committee reflected a feeling that “this step was consistent with the Administration position of seeking a restoration of normal relations with China.” The vote was unanimous.