Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI

892.61317/12–1845: Telegram

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

London, December 18, 1945—6 p.m.
[Received 6:41 p.m.]

13240. We talked this afternoon with Sargent,⁵⁶ who in absence of Bevin and Cadogan⁵⁷ is highest FonOff official, and Wilson-Young, regarding contents of Depts 10783, Dec 13, and 10846, Dec 17. On question of rice levy we were given oopy of a revise of Annex to Heads of Agreement which FonOff states was sent this morning to British Embassy Washington for communication to Dept. Article 10 (a) of revised annex appears to go a long way toward meeting US point. It provides that Siamese Govt shall “make available free of cost at Bangkok to an organization to be indicated by the Govt of the UK and as quickly as may be compatible with the retention of supplies adequate for Siamese internal needs, a quantity of rice equal to the accumulated surplus of rice at present existing in Siam, subject to a maximum of 1½ million tons the exact amount to be determined by the authorities appointed for the purpose of taking delivery of the rice”.

Revised annex is considerably shorter than former annex leaving out original paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7; considerably reducing 11 by eliminating 11 (a), revising (c) by inserting after “services”, “for use in Siam”, eliminating (d) and (e), revising (f), revising (g) to add after “Siam”, “similar to such agreements as have already been concluded by the Allies with one another”; revising 12 and limiting its extent until March 2, 1946; eliminating 13; slightly revising 14; revising 15 and limiting it to Sept 1, 1947. Item 16 (a) becomes 10 (a) in revised annex as quoted above. 16 (b) puts date limit Sept 1, 1947. Item 17 eliminated.

FonOff also promised to refer question of security clauses again to Chiefs of Staff and will report their reaction shortly.

Considerable surprise was expressed that State Dept had seen fit to instruct Yost to urge Siamese not to sign agreement and that US Govt might even go so far as to resume diplomatic relations with a country still at war with one of its Allies.⁵⁸

Winant

56. Sir Orme Garton Sargent, British Deputy Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
57. Sir Alexander M. G. Cadogan, British Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
58. In telegram 13273, December 19, 11 a.m., the Ambassador in the United Kingdom reported advice from Mr. Wilson-Young that the revised annex summarized in telegram 13240 had been cleared by the highest civil and military authorities in London but required Lord Mountbatten’s approval, for “in all such cases final decision is left to authority on the spot”. (741.92/12–1945)