892.01/9–745: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received September 7.]
2277. Immediately after receiving your telephone call I tried to reach Bevin but as he was out of town I called on the Prime Minister who was most helpful. The instruction sent to Admiral Mountbatten was to negotiate only the first agreement which I was told had been cleared with our Joint Chiefs of Staff. The following sentence however was added, “This agreement does not in any way affect the position of individual Allied governments vis-à-vis Thailand and is entirely without prejudice to any settlement with Thailand which they may contemplate.”
Further action will await agreement by the State Department and the Foreign Office and the Combined Chiefs of Staff.