892.014/12–2745: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Siam (Yost) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 27—9:18 a.m.]
102. Ref my telegram 89, December 22. Prime Minister has requested me to ask Dept’s reaction to following possible method of dealing with Indochina frontier question.
- 1.
- Siamese Govt would repudiate acquisition of territories by Pibul regime under Jap sponsorship.
- 2.
- Siam would refer issue to UNO for adjudication.
- 3.
- Pending UNO decision, territories would be administered under direction of Commission representing either UNO or principal Allied powers.
Though Cabinet is not enthusiastic over proposal, Seni thinks he can convince them if he can say it has US support. He believes that to return territories immediately to France would have grave political repercussions in Siam as well as seriously injure Siam’s prestige with other peoples of Southeast Asia.
If US is agreeable to proposal, Seni will when Cabinet approves discuss it with British and French. He is fully aware of desirability of settling question as promptly as possible.
AmPolAd comment: It seems fairly certain that French would reject this proposal unless it were modified to provide for immediate restoration of French administration. On the other hand, it also seems probable that, if territories are returned outright to France at this time, France will block further action on question by UNO and no impartial judgment of issue will be possible. We should therefore be reluctant, particularly in view of fact that territories were ceded to France under duress as recently as 1907,64 to see US advise Siamese restore them outright, relying wholly on generosity of French to permit subsequent submission of question to UNO. We present following three alternative courses for Dept’s consideration: 1. Inform French categorically that we consider delimitation of frontier matter for UNO adjudication and that we will feel justified in urging Siamese to restore territories to French administration only if France first agrees to simultaneous submission of question to appropriate UNO body.
[Page 1411]2. Inform Siamese we cannot approve or disapprove their proposal but that we consider it a suitable basis for discussion which should be submitted to British and French. Inform latter that if they approve proposal we would be willing to participate in commission suggested by Siamese.
3. Maintain position that territories must be restored outright to France but that Siam is free thereafter to raise question before UNO.
- For text of treaty signed at Bangkok on March 23, 1907, see Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. ii p. 1003.↩