Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

740.00115 Pacific War/216: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)

Washington, March 20, 1942.

726. Your 811, February 28.⁴⁵ American interests—Thailand. Please inform the Swiss Government that this Government appreciates its activity and that of the Swiss Consul at Bangkok on behalf of American internees in Thailand and requests it to inform the Government of Thailand:

1. that the American Government has not detained or interned any Thai subjects;

2. that this Government is extending the humanitarian provisions of the Geneva Prisoners of War Convention⁴⁶ in so far as they are applicable to all civilian internees and detainees held by it and will extend these provisions to any Thailanders who may in the future be detained or interned by it;

3. that representatives of the protecting Powers and of the International Red Cross Committee are permitted to visit all places of internment or detainment of enemy aliens in the United States, are not subjected to limitations on the length of time that they may spend in such places, and are permitted to speak alone with the aliens under their protection; and

4. that this Government expects the Thai Government to extend like treatment to Americans held by it.

Welles

45. Not printed; it quoted a report made by the Swiss Consul at Bangkok on his visit to the Bangkok internment camp on February 17.
46. Signed at Geneva July 27, 1929, Foreign Relations, 1929, vol. i, p. 336.