501.AA/12–1146
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs (Landon)
Prince Wan telephoned from New York and informed me that he had just had a conversation with Mr. Gromyko who had in simple language stated his position to the effect that until Siam issued a communiqué along the lines of an exchange of letters which have already taken place at Stockholm indicating that Siam repudiates the anti-communist attitude of previous governments that he is instructed to move for a deferment of consideration of Siam’s application and failing that, as a last resort, to veto.
Prince Wan stated that his Government had no objection to the issuance of such a communiqué but that the Minister of Foreign Affairs felt reluctant to use such a strong phrase in regard to the attitude of previous Siamese governments toward communism, and that a compromise formula was being sought.
I asked whether Prince Wan felt that the matter could be resolved in time for Siam’s admission to the United Nations this year. He replied that he had pointed out to Mr. Gromyko that there would not be time for an exchange of telegrams with Bangkok and that he would give him a letter of assurance that such a communiqué would be issued. He explained that he felt justified and empowered to make such a written statement in view of the fact that he had discussed the matter for several hours last night with His Excellency, the Elder Statesman, Pridi Banomyong and that His Excellency had thoroughly concurred in such a letter. Prince Wan added that, as I knew, the present Government was composed of followers of the Elder Statesman and there was no question of their supporting his judgment.
I urged Prince Wan immediately to see Mr. Johnson and tell him what he had told me. Prince Wan said that he would do so as soon as he hung up his receiver.
[In a telephone conversation with Charles Noyes62 in New York he stated that Prince Wan had had an extensive conversation with [Page 460] Herschel Johnson and himself and had asked Mr. Johnson to agree to postpone consideration of Siam’s application for membership until the next meeting if Mr. Gromyko so desired on the grounds that he needed two more days to complete the arrangements that he had in mind. He then repeated the substance of the foregoing conversation and said again that he believed that he would be able to get the communiqué issued within two days. He added, however, that he was going to see Mr. Gromyko immediately and try to persuade him to be satisfied temporarily with a letter assuring him that such a communiqué would be issued and to withdraw his objections to Siam’s application for membership.
Mr. Noyes said that their procedure would be for Mr. Johnson to make a statement favoring Siam’s application and that if Mr. Gromyko asked for a postponement then Mr. Johnson would reluctantly agree to postponement stating that he would be willing to do so only until the next meeting or until an earlier moment than the next regular meeting if Mr. Gromyko were willing at an earlier time to discuss the matter.63 Mr. Noyes added that in view of the fact that Prince Wan had asked that the U.S. delegate agree to postponement, if Mr. Gromyko desired it, that there seemed to be no other course to pursue.]64
- Special Assistant to the Acting United States Representative (Johnson).↩
- The Security Council met at 3:30 p.m., December 12, with the Siamese application on the provisional agenda. When the agenda was adopted with no objection, the representative of China (Quo) made a motion that the Security Council adopt a resolution recommending favorable consideration by the General Assembly of Siam’s application for membership, and the resolution was adopted unanimously (SC, 1st yr., 2nd series, pp. 561–563).↩
- Brackets appear in the original.↩