I remember when we drafted our first communique, on my very first visit, when I did not have the pleasure of knowing the Foreign Minister -- I was still being treated gently by the Chinese. But Ambassador Huang Hua, with whom I was drafting the communique, before we started working on the text said let us have a frank talk about what we must have, each of us, and when we do we can find the words. And it worked out that way.
And I think that within the framework of the Japanese model we should have a frank talk of some of our necessities consistent with your principles, and then see whether we can find some way to reach our goal. After this then we can put forward a specific proposal.
Vice Premier Teng: We perhaps can go into more detail in the smaller groups.
Secretary Kissinger: I agree.
Vice Premier Teng: But I must first fire a cannon.
Secretary Kissinger: At me?
Vice Premier Teng: Well, empty or full, as you like. That is, on this issue, as we see it, you owe us a debt. We don't have to discuss it now.
As for the bilateral issues, as we have said many times, and as Chairman Mao has said and also as Premier Chou En-lai has said in the past, we can sum up our views in two sentences: According to our wishes, we would like this matter to come more quickly; but secondly, we are not so much in a hurry. That is to say, if we are able to reach a point acceptable to both sides in a relatively quicker period of time, we would welcome this.
But Chairman Mao has also said in his talk with the Doctor that we pay special attention to international issues. And therefore we agree with the Doctor that it would be good to do as you proposed; that is, to exchange views on international and bilateral issues in smaller groups.
So we can nominate some people on both sides to discuss the more technical issues and bilateral matters.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
