Sunday, 4 June

Fine, still cold

In the morning I went with Counsellor Chen and Committee member Hu to have lunch with the American Red Cross representative, Hubbella and others in the countryside. We visited the villa where Attaché Hu lived. We talked to Mr. Hubbell about things in the United States in detail and his observations in the Soviet Union. He is a sophisticated and intelligent man, and his observations are also with insight. Originally he wanted to rent a villa nearby and he has already made agreement with the landlord, and he sent people there to clean and decorate. Suddenly the landlord came to his place yesterday with an expression of consternation and told him the reason why he had no choice but to cancel the leasing contract. This was because the day before yesterday, one of the intelligence agents from the Ministry of Interior went to see the said landlord and warned him it was inappropriate to rent to, and to live with foreigners, and he threatened him. Then he begged for his forgiveness for being unable to honour the contract.

In the evening, the head of the British military delegation, Burrows, invited us to a banquet, introducing the newly appointed naval representative, Admiral Archer to us, and we bid farewell to Admiral Fisher. The French representative, Garreau, told me that De Gaulle formally proclaimed himself leader of the French Government yesterday. Garreau was quite surprised with de Gaulle’s action, because he originally estimated that De Gaulle would declare so after meeting with the British side in Britain. Now his declaration will to force Britain to recognise it because in the reception Britain should indicate that whether he should be treated in the style of a head of state. Probably he will have to ask the Soviet side for recognition in the coming few days. Based on the impression Garreau got from the Soviet Government and important people Soviet recognition of France shouldn’t be a problem. British and American sides do not recognise that the French Government is absolutely for the purpose of guarding against the Soviet Union. As a matter of fact it is extremely unwise because the Soviet Union gave absolutely no support to the French Committee of National Liberation, but with regard to materials, France depended solely on the United States. The United States has already helped so much, but it is simply puzzling that it was reluctant to give such moral support which cost nothing. Also based on the personal history and activities of De Gaulle, we can safely assume he is leaning Right. It is absolutely impossible to say he is leaning Left. With regard to the matter of Pierre Cot, he said Pierre Cot came here absolutely not to represent De Gaulle because Cot and De Gaulle do not get on well with each other, and Cot is a member of the Radical Party. During the Spanish Civil War, when the Popular Front was in power (It was a coalition of the Communist, Social Democratic and Radical Parties.), Cot had strongly advocated support for the Spanish Government, but afterwards the Popular front split, and he was one of the six representatives who advocated cooperation with leftists. At the time the Soviet Union and Communist Party treated him extremely well. After the Munich Agreement Incident, Cot suddenly changed his attitude, supporting the Munich clique to cooperate with Germany. He also agreed the decision of the French Government to dissolve the Communist Party. This move was hated by the Soviet Union and the Communist Party and the so-called Radical Party had long joined the Rightists and cooperated with Vichy. So now Cot’s situation is one of exceptionally great difficulty. He has lived in the United States for three years, so he has naturally had substantial contact with the American side. After he arrived in North Africa, as for a long time De Gaulle has not been on good terms with him, De Gaulle did not allow him to take up any important post. He could only join the provisional assembly under the criterion as a former representative. As he was idle in North Africa, he proposed to stay in the Soviet Union and Britain for three months each, studying post-war issues with the authorities. Charles de Gaulle was glad to let him go so he agreed but after Cot arrived in the Soviet Union, the Soviet authority was exceptionally cold to him. Recently it has changed for the better but still it doesn’t trust him. Cot has no hope of talking to the Soviet Union with regard to post-war issues. Now the Soviet Union has only arranged VOKS to treat him as a VIP, but they will not talk to him. What Cot could do is visit, with the hope of furthering his economic knowledge and experience and in the future to use his personal knowledge to contribute to the French Government on technical aspects. But politically it will be hopeless for him to have any major activity.

The Abyssinian Minister said that the Europeans treated the Blacks in Africa harshly, and he hopes that in future China will be able to help. He also said he wants to visit me often and tell me the facts in detail. I replied that I was quite willing to talk to him.