341. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State0
1478. Secretary Harriman from Ambassador. Reference: Department telegram 935.1
Nothing specific was said to Phoumi about [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] return. Matter was left entirely indefinite.
Colonel Wood replaced by Colonel McKenzie who heads normal liaison office with small staff in MinDefense near Phoumi’s office. McKenzie deals primarily with Phoumi’s Chef de Cabinet, but has direct access to Phoumi at any time Chief MAAG wishes take up business with Phoumi and is from time to time called in by Phoumi when he wants to see Chief MAAG. There is no personal relationship between McKenzie and Phoumi such as existed between latter and Wood. Interviews are always on specific business. McKenzie acts as Chief MAAG’s interpreter in dealings with Phoumi and is fully familiar with US policy.
Rumors about covert CIA support for RLG are again emerging in Vientiane. Because of past history, this is rumor which will die very hard and which we must expect to encounter again from time to time. It only needs one remark in the right place to bring it back to life. I would not be at all surprised if some people in the government were definitely promoting this belief. I have been told that Minister Finance Phouangphet told an Asian journalist that there was no need to worry about suspension of US aid [1–½ lines of source text not declassified]. Phoumi has repeatedly told Cabinet US would not abandon him.
I do not think that the belief of divided US counsels or covert US support contrary to policy is being promoted either by action or word by any of our personnel.
Before receiving your telegram, I had alerted all country teams to the recrudescence of these rumors and instructed them to keep alert to [Page 716] avoid any possible US behavior which could give the slightest credence to them and to any evidence of attempted sabotage by Phoumi of current negotiations.
I have no doubt that our team is fully attuned to our objectives and (aside from the fact that such rumors will be likely as long as any CAS or significant number of MAAG personnel remain in Laos) do not think that presence of any individuals lends credence to the existence of divided counsels. There is no longer anyone here on any of our staffs who has the type of historical and personal involvement with Phoumi and Savannakhet that [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] and Wood had. I therefore do not believe that there are grounds for change in personnel. You may be sure however that I am alert to this problem and prepared to act promptly along lines you suggest should it prove necessary.
As for Phoumi, whereas I believe that he is doing everything he can to inspire the belief that the US has not totally abandoned him, and I still have my fingers crossed about his present gesture towards Souvanna, neither I nor General Boyle see evidence that he is acting in other than a defensive manner in the military field. As far as we can judge, the initiative for such activity which is taking place is coming from the other side. FAR for example today reports loss of Muong Sing which was very lightly held by FAR and where there had been no FAR offensive action.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–362. Secret; [distribution indicator not declassified].↩
- In telegram 935, personal for Brown from Harriman, May 2, Harriman asked about the status of the [text not declassified] Phoumi relationship. Did [text not declassified] mention that he would return to Vientiane and had Colonel Wood, Phoumi’s military liaison at the Ministry of Defense, also been replaced? Harriman expressed concern that two reliable journalists just returned from Laos had told him that it was “still common gossip” in Vientiane that the military and the CIA were not in sympathy with U.S. policy and that Phoumi was convinced that the United States would eventually come to his assistance. If there was still a problem in Vientiane, Harriman suggested to Brown that he replace any individuals who gave credence to these rumors. Harriman promised to support Brown and stated that the replacement would be done without damage to the individual’s career. (Ibid., 751J.00/4–1662)↩