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

740.00115A Pacific War/42a: Telegram

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

Washington, March 20, 1942.

727. American interests—Thailand. Your 1068, March 17.

1. The Department believes that paragraph numbered 4 in its 666, March 13 to you satisfactorily answers the proposal to exchange the Thai nationals in the United States for the American citizens in Thailand. To avoid misunderstanding please request Swiss Foreign Office to inform Thai Government that the United States Government will permit freely any Thai national in the United States to embark upon the exchange vessel and that the Canadian Government is being informed that the three Thai nationals in Canada may likewise embark upon this vessel.

2. It is noted that the Japanese Government has agreed to transport on the exchange vessel from Japan all Americans bound for Lourenço Marques and on the return voyage all Thai nationals returning to Thailand.

3. It is agreed that the United States Government will pay the cost of transportation of Thai officials and nationals to the point of exchange and that the Thai Government will pay the cost of transportation of American officials and nationals to the same point.

4. The United States Government would appreciate receiving at the earliest possible moment a list of the American non-official persons proposed for inclusion in the exchange and a list of Thai nationals other than officials proposed for repatriation from the United States and Canada.

Welles