Office of the Historian

741.92/12–1745: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, December 17, 1945—5 p.m.
[Received December 17—3:34 p.m.]

13208. ReDepts 10812, Dec 14; Embs 13197, Dec 17.53 In view of fact that Dept’s 10783, December 13, 8 p.m., had not yet arrived, we were unable to discuss detailed objections of Dept to British-Siamese agreement with Foreign Office this afternoon. However we did obtain from Wilson-Young, Acting Head of Far East Dept during absence Bennett in Moscow, definite assurance that no agreement would be signed prior to Wednesday evening Dec 19 London time. He said while it was not certain it would be signed the following day he could give no assurances. Wilson-Young read US [us?] text of Foreign Office telegram sent to British Embassy Washington Dec 14 dealing with rice collecting organization and with strategic clauses of British-Siamese agreement. On question of clauses C–1 and C–2, British Embassy was authorized to give Dept written assurance along lines outlined in this Embs 12848, Dec 7. In view of this Foreign Office message, does Dept still desire signing of agreement held up beyond Wednesday evening?

Winant
  1. Neither printed; the former quoted telegram 65, December 14, 11 a.m., from the Political Adviser in Siam, p. 1397, and the latter reported receipt of telegram 10812 at 11:30 p.m., December 16.↩