890.20/8–2749: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Philippines (Cowen) to the Secretary of State
priority
2062. At President Quirino’s request I called on him at Baguio August 27. Romulo was present during interview and Quirino touched on question SEA union. I took opportunity remark that Nehru would be visiting US during October and that I hoped Philippine Government would avoid action which might give rise to speculation that his visit connected with proposed union. I particularly alluded proposed meeting representative SEA countries Baguio and said I hoped it would not occur till date sufficiently after Nehru’s visit to ensure that two events would not appear connected. Quirino and Romulo agreed. Former stated Romulo would continue be responsible for sounding [Page 1193] out prospective members and developing plans for union and latter stated he believed Baguio meeting could not in any case be held before November and might not be possible before early months 1950. Quirino also alluded Romulo’s expected departure for US afternoon August 27 and stated he wants Romulo keep in touch with State Department and work closely with its representatives.
After conclusion our talks with Quirino, I asked Romulo what sort of structure he has in mind for SEA Union and what he believes can be accomplished through Union. He replied he does not anticipate that it will have any secretariat or other structure which would remain in being between meetings. He said union could accomplish following:
- 1.
- Convince the people of this area, by virtue of its creation, that Communism is not the “wave of the future” which must be passively accepted;
- 2.
- Supply means of implementing measures of economic cooperation (this connection he mentioned ECAFE, stating that all it does is pass resolutions which the member states ignore);
- 3.
- With respect to questions passed on in its meetings, the SEA Union would enable him to speak in the UN not merely for Philippines alone but rather with weight behind him of all member states of union. (He stated he believed it would be of great help to US to be able to arrange through him for their sponsorship and support in UN of measures which we might wish adopted.)
In response suggestion that measures of economic cooperation would be difficult to implement in absence any SEA Union organization which would exist between meetings, Romulo agreed, stating such organization could be developed later and that other objectives mentioned above in any case the more important.