Summary of Premier Zhou's Conversation with President Nasser

Secret   Document 621

Foreign Ministry File

Summary of Premier Zhou's Conversation with President Nasser

(Premier has yet to review and approve)

On the afternoon of 24 June 1965, the Premier visited Nasser’s residence after a tour of a factory in Alexandria and had a brief conversation with him. The Premier informed Nasser that he had just received the news that the standing committee had decided to postpone the foreign ministers meeting by 48 hours, changing it to 4 o’clock on the afternoon of the 26th. The Premier also said to Nasser that, if the host country found it difficult to convene the conference as scheduled, he hoped within a small scope to explain the difficulty to the representatives of such countries as the United Arab Republic, Indonesia, China, Korea, Vietnam, Mali, and Pakistan. Nasser said that it would be impossible to explain the difficulty to so many countries and that, because it would be difficult for reasons of face, the scope should be narrowed a bit, such as explaining it to the three countries of China, Indonesia, and the United Arab Republic. The Premier expressed agreement. Nasser also said to the Premier that African countries of the British Commonwealth, such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, and Ghana, had all recommended postponing the conference; that news from London was that some persons would postpone the conference to December; and that [Ahmed Sekou] Toure had sent a telegram saying that he himself was determined this time not to go. Nasser also said that they did not interfere in the internal affairs of others.

General Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

Printing and distribution         14 July 1965