751.92/5–946
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the
Division of Southeast Asian Affairs (Moffat)
[Washington,] May 9, 1946.
M. Lacoste called at my request and I communicated to him the substance
of the attached oral communication copy of which, for his convenience, I
gave him.45 I explained that we were particularly
concerned about the provisions of Article VIII discussed in Point 3 but
that the other comments were offered simply in the belief that they
might be helpful to the French Government in the prompt reestablishment
and maintenance of friendly relations with Siam. M. Lacoste stated that
in his opinion, based on his own experience with Orientals, the French
Government would feel that any recasting of the agreement into a
friendly document would be construed as a weakness on the part of the
French; that he would be the first to recommend it if he thought it
would achieve the result sought but that he considered the Siamese were
acting in bad faith throughout and did not recognize that they were in
the wrong in having acquired the territories from Indochina and that
under the circumstances he thought France should maintain a strong and
dominating position. He added that, according to his information, the
Siamese delegation which had been discussing the problem in Saigon had
offered inexcusable proposals, whereas the French had simply maintained
their position. The delegation had returned to Bangkok on April 4 and,
so far as he knew, discussions had not been resumed.
[Annex]
The Department of
State to the French
Embassy
Oral Communication
- 1.
- We appreciate very much the courtesy of the French Government
in making available to us the text of the proposed
Franco-Siamese Agreement.
- 2.
- As it is our desire to aid, as best we can, a rapid settlement
and reestablishment of friendly relations between France and
Siam, we would like to offer certain comments which we hope will
be considered
[Page 995]
by the
French Government in the light of the friendly, disinterested
motive with which they are offered:
- 3.
- It is noted that the text follows very closely, except for
necessary changes, the Anglo-Siamese Agreement signed at
Singapore on January 1. There are, however, in Article VIII two
important, though quite possibly unintentional deviations from
the British text. This Article provides that the Siamese
Government agree to conform to the Franco-Siamese Treaty of
Commerce and Navigation of December 7, 193746 and not to enforce provisions excluding French
and Indochinese commercial interests or nationals from
participating in Siamese economy or trade The comparable Article
in the British-Siamese Agreement was the subject of long
discussion between this Government and the British Government,
and the final British draft specifically provided that British
interests shall not be excluded on the “basis of nationality”,
and also permitted exceptions specifically provided for in the
1937 Treaty. We earnestly hope that the French Government will
include these two points which appear in the British-Siamese
Agreement, because without these clauses the French and
Indochinese will be given a special privilege not accorded any
other nation, and because taken literally the text would
infringe on Siamese sovereignty and prevent Siam, for example,
from limiting if it so desired certain phases of its economy or
trade to Government ownership or operation. It is not believed
that this is the intention of the French Government, especially
in view of its action in joining with the British and American
representatives in Canberra in representations to the Australian
Government regarding a clause in the Australian-Siamese
Agreement which would accord Australia certain special
privileges not accorded other nations.47
- 4.
- The basic dispute between France and Siam is over the
territories acquired in the course of Japanese aggression by
Siam in 1941. We note that the French Government recognizes in
the preamble of the draft agreement Siamese repudiation of its
association with Japan, and also that the agreement is not
designed to terminate a state of war, but to be the basis for
resumption of friendly relations between the two countries. We
feel that it would be particularly helpful to a prompt
conclusion of an agreement and the restoration of sound friendly
relations between France and Siam, if the Agreement could be
cast in a form which did not follow the Anglo-Siamese Agreement
which was for the termination of a war and if it could omit
matters not directly related to the basic dispute between France
and Siam.
[Page 996]
If such
other matters are deemed pertinent we believe that it would be
extremely helpful if the obligations set forth could at least be
mutually assumed and not imposed unilaterally. In connection
with the foregoing comment it may be pertinent to note that on
December 8, 1941, the Siamese interned all British, Australian,
American and Dutch nationals and seized their property later
declaring war on Great Britian and the United States.48 At no
time, however, certainly during the last five years, have French
nationals or property in Siam been molested, nor has there ever
been a declaration of war between the two countries.
- 5.
- Under the Agreement between Siam and the Vichy Government the
Siamese undertook to pay several million ticals to France on
account of permanent improvements made by the French in the
territories acquired by Siam. Both as a matter of equity and as
a means of promoting rapid restoration of friendly relations, we
would like to suggest that there be specific provisions in the
Agreement crediting Siam, against French claims under Article I,
for any payments which they have made and also for any permanent
improvements which they may have effected during their
occupation of the territories.
- 6.
- Word has just been received from Bangkok that on May 7 the
Siamese Foreign Minister informed our Chargé and also the
British Minister that on that day French forces twice fired from
the French side of the Mekong upon the Siamese town of Nakorn
Phanom with rifles, machine guns and mortars; that the Siamese
did not return the fire although six were wounded and two killed
and public buildings hit by mortar shells, and although there
were Annamese and Laos refugees in the town, there were no
troops. The Siamese Foreign Minister greatly fears a violent
nationalistic reaction among the Siamese public when the
incident becomes known. We urgently hope that the French
Government will take any necessary steps to prevent further
incidents of this nature which can only result in making more
difficult the negotiation of a Franco-Siamese Agreement and the
restoration of friendly relations between the two
countries.
I might add that we have had several reports of shooting from the
French side of the Mekong at Siamese boats on the Siamese side of
the river. Indeed, our Agricultural Attaché—an American—who was in a
Siamese Government launch hugging the Siamese shore barely escaped
with his life in one such incident.
[Washington, May 8, 1946.]
