845C.00/9–2846: Telegram
The Consul General at Rangoon (Packer) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—11:45 a.m.]
319. Executive Committee AFPFL issued statement approving AFPFL participation in interim government “only because committee feel present political deadlock must be broken for purposes of solving immediate issues facing government services (note that general strike was called by government service union) and rest of people in country and of holding fair and free general election 6 months hence; also because we think we have obtained acceptable basis which might enable us to progress towards national government”.
Basis considered acceptable because President of AFPFL (Aung San) will take charge of defence and external affairs and be deputy chairman interim government, because interim government will be associated with frontier areas policy and because interim government will function as Cabinet of Ministers and Governor’s veto power may be even less than powers of Viceroy India.
Committee’s announcement states further “Interim government does not yet satisfy complete requirements of national government as we have envisaged”, committee feels “relaxation of financial control by HMG as proposed far from satisfactory but committee does not feel for the moment like making issue which may affect question of immediate formation interim Government”, AFPFL councillors in “no mood to promise anything, they cannot produce rabbits from empty hat”.