Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

790.5/4–1751: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Thailand ¹

secret

Washington, April 17, 1951—7 p. m.

1519. Reference preceding tel² re security arrangements covering Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. Dept is concerned lest Thai Govt misunderstand the significance of the President’s statement and suggests that in your discretion when making a summary of that statement available to Thai Govt that you point out:

1. This is not a multilateral pact but is essentially a formalizing by the President of our present commitments in the Pacific area.

2. Similar bilateral arrangements are not being made with most Southeast Asian nations although the US Govt is actively aiding them in diverse ways according to their situation. For instance in Indochina the US is providing important amounts of mil aid; in Thailand the substantial interest of the US is manifested through the mil and econ aid programs currently in operation; in Malaya, with which no security arrangements have been made, only minor mil aid has been extended and finally neither Indonesia nor Burma have shown any inclination nor interest toward such security arrangements nor toward receiving extensive mil aid programs although both have econ aid programs.

3. That if Thailand were attacked by an aggressor it is assumed that Thailand like Korea in June 1950 wld appeal to the UN for aid where the US wld with the other nations give sympathetic attention to the problem.

4. That Thailand is bordered by nations beset by Communism and that it might be preferable from Thailand’s point of view under present circumstances to continue as at present in its intimate relations with the US without formal definition in order to avoid stirring up unduly the unfriendly Commie elements in those neighboring nations.³

If at this point the Foreign Minister evinces a desire to discuss bilateral arrangements with US you may receive this suggestion with every evidence of interest and say that you will inform your Govt of their desire and that you will reply as soon as you have received your Govt’s reactions.

Acheson

1. Telegram drafted by Kenneth P. Landon, Officer in Chargé of Thai and Malayan Affairs, and cleared by Mr. Allison on behalf of Mr. Rusk.
2. In telegram 1518 to Bangkok, April 17 (not printed), the Department had in part included the text of the Presidential statement (cited in footnote 2, supra) for transmission to the Thai Government in advance of publication. (790.5/4–1751)
3. The following paragraph was removed from this telegram before transmission: “5. That we fought a containing action in Greece and extended massive mil aid to Turkey and neither were members of the North Atlantic Treaty Pact.” (790.5/4–1751) The excision was authorized by John F. Melby, Deputy Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs.