Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, East Asian Security; Cambodia; Laos, Volume XXI

213. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State¹

Phnom Penh, July 15, 1955—3 p.m.

57. I have seen Indian Chairman and Canadian Commissioner ICC this morning separately. Commission is now in final phase of reaching decision on MDA agreement and instructions have been requested from Delhi and Ottawa. Most significant Polish Commissioner says he has already received carte blanche to vote “as Nehru directs”. I interpret this to mean that either in Warsaw or Moscow Nehru persuaded Communist side that he should carry laboring oar in this matter and persuaded Communist high command that his ultimate decision would be favorable to them.

Indian Chairman told me he was pleased with Cambodian reply² and that he thought ICC could reach a determination quickly. He said that although on legal side there were valid reasons to feel that MDA agreement violated Geneva, on practical side it must be realized that MAAG was already established, that Cambodia needs help and that there was no other available source of such aid than United States. He said that he hoped to get his instructions in time to terminate this case by Sunday July 17.

In meeting yesterday … Indian Chairman submitted two draft resolutions, one which he said formulated his understandings of Canadian position, and the other position of Indian and possibly Polish Commissioner. Canadian Commissioner objected to both drafts but found that Indian and Pole were insistent on adopting second resolution as drafted by Parthasarathi. After much argument General Snow managed to improve phraseology of this resolution to some extent but as will be seen from its text (cf. Phnom Penh’s 35, Delhi 16, London 15, Ottawa 14, Paris 19) it is not entirely satisfactory in its concluding paragraph.³ On whole, however, resolution is surprisingly conciliatory and should settle this affair if both Cambodians and Communists hold their fire.

I told General Snow that since everything depended on Nehru I would immediately submit text of resolution to Department, which could determine whether or not it was worth while to make last minute approach to Nehru to see if he would be dissuaded from insisting on final paragraph. I likewise pointed out to General Snow that much would depend on whether ICC resolution was published or whether it was merely a private official response from commission to Cambodian Government. It might be possible for him to argue (and this likewise could be told Nehru) that offending paragraph could still stand if this was a secret document but should be deleted if publication was intended. There is some risk that it may incite Prince Sihanouk or other members of Cambodian Government to pursue a dangerous debate further and it might likewise be used as a peg for Communist propaganda on which to hang further charges that MDA agreement violated Geneva. On the whole, however, if satisfactory solution has been found and, as I suggested to General Snow, even if present text is published next week Geneva headlines will push this news to back pages of all save Cambodian press.

McClintock

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–1555. Secret; Niact. Sent also niact to New Delhi, priority to London and Ottawa, and repeated to Paris, Saigon, and Vientiane.
2. The reference is unclear and could refer to either statements made at a May 30 meeting between Cambodian officials and the ICC or a letter from Leng Ngeth of July 13 to the ICC. On May 30, members of the Cambodian Foreign Ministry met with the ICC and reiterated Cambodia’s non-aligned stance. (Great Britain, Third Interim Report of the ICC in Cambodia, No. 3 (1955), Cmd. 9579, p. 10) On July 13, Leng Ngeth sent a letter to the ICC acknowledging receipt of its July 5 letter and confirming the position of Cambodia as stated on May 30 and in the ICC letter of July 5. Text of the July 5 letter is contained in telegram 19 from Phnom Penh; see footnote 3, supra. Text of the Cambodian letter of July 13 is contained in telegram 50 from Phnom Penh, July 13, not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 751H.5–MSP/7–1355)
3. The concluding paragraph of this draft resolution reads in part as follows: “in view assurances given by Cambodian Government, Commission hopes that in practice the receiving of aid under new military aid agreement will be in conformity with terms of Geneva Accord.” (Telegram 58 from Phnom Penh, July 15; ibid., 751G.00/7–1555)