Office of the Historian

532. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand1

Washington, September 14, 1959—9:25 p.m.

636. Your 540 and 571.2 Department commends your tactful and sensitive handling of Vietnamese refugee repatriation problem in conversation with Foreign Minister and GVN Ambassador and concurs in your view concerning importance of not allowing this issue to poison Thai–GVN relationships at this critical juncture.

It would appear desirable to seek appropriate opportunity in your discretion to point out to RTG that this seems perilous and ill chosen moment to press ahead with implementation of repatriation agreement with DRV as aggressor in Laos, quite apart from serious strain thus placed on Thai–GVN relationships.

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 292.51G22/9–459. Confidential. Drafted by Swezey, cleared with SEA and FE, and approved by Parsons. Repeated to Saigon and CINCPAC for POLAD.↩
  2. In these telegrams, dated September 1 and 3, Johnson reported on two conversations with the Vietnamese Ambassador in Bangkok and one with the Thai Foreign Minister. The Ambassador expressed to Johnson the grave concern of his government over the refugee agreement and indicated that he would try to persuade the Thai Government to renounce it. (Ibid., 292.51G22/9–159 and 292.51G22/9–359)↩