Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXVII, Mainland Southeast Asia; Regional Affairs

262. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam¹

Washington, December 21, 1968, 0135Z.

290922. Ref: State 288754.² Joint State/Defense message—Operations in SVN Near Cambodian Border.

1. Reftel indicated need to avoid incidents which might compromise Presidential message to Prince Sihanouk and possible release of Americans detained in Cambodia.

2. Message has now been delivered. All detainees have been released and all but one have left Cambodia. One detainee remains hospitalized in Phnom Penh and cannot be moved for about three weeks.

3. In view this successful outcome, restrictions on operations imposed by reftel are lifted.

4. We have told Sihanouk both publicly and privately that release of detainees will contribute to improvement in atmosphere of U.S.-Cambodian relations. We hope now to be able to respond to Sihanoukʼs signals that he wants such improvement in ways which will eventually allow some progress on important issues such as action to discourage VC/NVA use of Cambodian territory. Actions along border which risk inflicting casualties among Cambodians will jeopardize any such progress.

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 33–4 CAMB. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Bennett; cleared by Corcoran, Flowerree, Rear Admiral Shepard of OASD/ISA, and B.G. Glick of the Joint Staff/J–3; and approved by Godley. Also sent to JCS and repeated to Bangkok, CINCPAC, and COMUSMACV.
2. Dated December 18. (Ibid.)