Tuesday, 3 August

I received the cable from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only this afternoon. It said that Chairman Lin died on 1 August. According to the previous telegram the Government has decided that all the personnel at the Embassy will have to wear black ties and armbands for one month and stop all private and official functions. Also, the Government has decided to hold a memorial service on 7 of this month, hoping that other places will convene memorial services at the same time, and it has tried its best to ask all the friendly nations to take part. At 5.00 p.m., the Soviet Government sent Deputy People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Lozovsky, to the Embassy representing his government to pay condolences. The Canadian Minister, the British Charge d’Affaires all came, it would be inconvenient to organise another service and invite them to come again. Therefore, after careful consideration, I decided to follow normal tradition here. I informed the other embassies and decided that from noon until 6.00 p.m. tomorrow, I would receive all personnel from other embassies at the Embassy and ask them to sign a special guest book.