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133
CHINA.
Decode.
Mr. O'Malley (Hankow).
1st February, 1927.
D.
9.00 p.m. 1st February, 1927.
R.
11.50 p.m. 1st February, 1927.
No. 36.
(R).
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Addressed to Peking No. 54.
My immediately preceding telegram.
I saw Chen this morning February 1st and he read to me statement contained in my immediately preceding telegram.
After many protestations on his part about the
sincerity of his intentions, difficulties arising from revolutionary temper of his party, the desirability of
settling as soon as possible all outstanding questions
between us, importance of action by us calculated to
produce a friendly atmosphere in which such settlement could take place, the position was summed up in a
statement that he would not sign any agreement about Harkow and Kiukiang unless wo refrained from landing
a military force in Shanghai. I did not know what
forces have already been landed there and the question
of disposal of them was not discussed.
Chen was not to be moved from this position by any amplification I could give him of Secretary of State's statements of purely defensive character of
the force; nor do I think that he would be satisfied
by any further statements of this kind which Secretary
of