Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXIII, Southeast Asia

115. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam⁰

Washington, November 16, 1963, 2:26 p.m.

813. CINCPAC for POLAD. Relations with Cambodia. Deptel 235 to Phnom Penh rptd info Saigon 812;¹ Saigon’s 980.²

We agree that Sihanouk has gone far toward destroying opportunity presented by new government in Viet-Nam for improving relations between Cambodia and Viet-Nam. We acknowledge that it is hard, under Sihanouk’s threat turn to Chicoms, for GVN take any action in this direction. It is equally hard for US urge such action.

We do believe however that GVN should be urged for following reasons to see to it that all Khmer Serei activities, including radio broadcasting, on Vietnamese territory be brought to an end:

1. This would not require any public act of reconciliation which would undoubtedly be distasteful to GVN at this time, but simply quiet desistance from activity which Sihanouk regards as most important of all elements he has raised in public statements.

2. Khmer Serei activities do not in any way serve or involve GVN interests. Objectively they represent at best pinpricks against Sihanouk, but he reacts to them in manner which may create serious world crisis in SEA.

3. Cessation of Khmer Serei activities would strengthen GVN position for seeking Cambodian cooperation regarding border crossings by Viet Cong.

4. New GVN would thus again demonstrate switch from methods of intrigue and plotting which characterized Diem-Nhu Government in its external as well as in its internal operations.

We believe it would be helpful also for new GVN overlook Sihanouk’s statements to extent of making some conciliatory gesture toward Cambodia.

Rusk

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL CAMB-S.VIET. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Joseph A. Mendenhall of FE and Arzac, cleared in draft by Koren, and approved by Rice.
1. Document 114.
2. In telegram 980, November 8, the Embassy in Saigon stated that conditions posed for normal relations by Sihanouk in a November 3 speech (no assistance from Cambodia against the Viet Cong; prohibition of South Vietnamese “hot pursuit” of Viet Cong across the border, minor territorial concessions, rights for ethnic Cambodians in South Vietnam, acceptance of responsibility for future conduct of the Khmer Serei movement, and payment of funds to resolve longstanding debt claims) would be hard for any Vietnamese Government to accept. The Embassy described the “nub” of the problem for the South Vietnamese as their conviction that Cambodia was an important base for Viet Cong operations. (Department of State, Central Files, POL CAMB-S.VIET)