Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-26
u. S. Ready to Meet Chou
On Cease-Fire, Dulles Says
Won't Demund
Voice at PurIey
For NutionuIists
BY JOHN v. HoRNER

Secretary OF State Dulles said
today the United States would
be willing to negotiate directly
with Communist China on q
cease-fire in the Formosa Strait.
Mr.. Dulles said at a news con.
ference that Nationalist China
should attend any negotiations
at which that country's inter-
ests are directly at stake, but he
indicated that the presence of
the Nationalists would not be
insisted on at cease-fire talks.
Mr.. Dulles said the United
States intends to try to find out
whether Red China's Premier
Chou En-lai is sincere in want
ing a peaceful Formosa settle
ment or is merely Staying a
propaganda game"
Mr.. Chou expressed willing
ness to negotiate with the
United States on the Formosa
issue at the recently ended Afro
Asian conference at Banding.
Prefers q. N. Action
Mfr. Dulles said the United
States prefers to have cease-fire
negotiations conducted through
the United Nations, but in view
OF the precarious situation in
the Far East did not rule out
the possibility of bilateral talks
with the Communists.
He repeated. however, that Ma
tlonalist China should be repre-
scented in any discussions in
which it is directly involved.
Earlier, Senator George. DEM
ocrat, OF Georgia. chairman OF
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. had declared that the
absence Of Nationalist China
from the conference table should
not prevent United States peace
talks with Red China.
At the outset of the press con-
ference, the Secretary read a
prepared statement expressing
the view that developments Of
the last 10 days both in Europe
ana Asia may, in retrospect.
seem OF decisive Importance.
Notes Restraint on Reds
He said:
The Banding conference, as
we had hoped, seems to have
exerted a restraint on the Chi.
nese Communists. had always
felt that 1t would be statutory il
the Chinese Communists were
confronted with the opinion Of
the free nations of Asia. That
opinion was powerfully expressed
IN favor Of peace and against di-
rect and Indirect aggression.
There seems now a chance
that the Communist Chinese
may be deferred from pursuing
the course of violence which has
characterized their action in re-
lation to Korea, to Tibet, to
Indo-China and, more recently.
IN relation to the Taiwan (For-
mosa) Straits.
1.-THE Chinese Communists
found no backing for their an
nounced program of Selling
Taiwan (Formosa) by force. ON
the contrary, they felt it useful
in the last hours of the BAN
dung conference to propose to
negotiate a peaceful settlement.
Whether or not that was a sim
cere proposal remains to be
seen. Perhaps the Chinese
Communists were merely play
ing a propaganda game. But
we intend to try to find out. In
doing SO we shall not, of course.
depart from the path of fidelity
and honor toward our ally, the
Republic Of China"
Information Scant
Secretary Dulles explained
that the United States has not
vet taken any definite steps be-
cause the Government has re.
ceived only fragmentary official
information on the subject.
He said he did not know
whether 1t is Red China's turn
or the United States turn to
make the next move but that
when issues as grave as those
See POLICY, Page AS