840.50 UNRRA/7–445
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State ( Acheson )
Mr. Marris called at his request and handed me the attached communication.97 He told me that he was under instructions to make an oral statement at the same time, which he did, reading from a cable. The statement was to the general effect that the British Government was not taking an ultimate or final position, in the communication just handed to me, that it would at no time be willing to consider treating Thailand as a liberated area. The position was rather that at this time, and in view of the fact that the Thai Government was at war with the British and was occupying certain provinces of Malaya and Burma, the British Government could not accede to our suggestion that Thailand be treated as a liberated country.
Mr. Marris went on to express the earnest hope that we would be able to modify our position so that this issue would not arise at the Council meeting in London as it would cause serious embarrassment to the British Government. This embarrassment, he stated, would have no compensative benefit to anyone because in all probability it would be some time before operations of any sort could be conducted in Thailand. He hoped that before the time for relief operations in that country arrived, circumstances will have so changed that the British Government might be able to meet our views. I told Mr. Marris that the views expressed by him and in the communication would have the most careful consideration in the Department, which would communicate with him as soon as possible. I also informed him of Mr. Clayton’s98 appointment as United States representative upon the Council and said that I believed, therefore, that the communication referred to would come to Mr. Marris through some other officer than myself.