Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East, Volume VIII

892.014/6–1946: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Johnson)

confidential

Washington, June 22, 1946—4 p.m.

105. For Herschel Johnson. (1) Our attitute toward supporting Siamese application⁵ will depend in large measure on what action Siamese take with respect to settling question of disputed areas (as distinguished from question of border incidents). We will vote for Siamese admission in any case if the British vote for it. However, our former position, as expressed in paper dated April 19⁶ in Membership book, is qualified to the extent indicated below.

(2) The Siamese Parliament has authorized the reference of either the question of the disputed areas or the question of the border incidents or both to the SC or the GA. (See Bangkok’s 692 dated June 19). If the Siamese bring the question of the disputed areas to the attention of the SC or the GA and specifically accept in advance the obligations of pacific settlement provided in the Charter, we will vote for their application for membership.⁷ We would actively support it, of course, in the now unlikely contingency that they retrocede the disputed areas on their own initiative with or without reference to UN.

(3) Under either of the above circumstances we feel we should seek to dissuade the French from vetoing application. However, until the Siamese have referred the question of the disputed areas to UN or unless they have already retroceded territories, we feel action on the application should be postponed and we believe British would hold same view.

(4) For your information, in conversation on June 19 here at Dept with Konthi, Siamese representative, Konthi stated his understanding was that both question of disputed areas and question of border incidents would be submitted as an entirety to the UN. He did not know how soon the dispute would be submitted but expressed the view that it would not be submitted by the Legation before the delegation arrived. Konthi hopes to arrange for letter of May 20⁸ not to be considered as application and to submit formal application simultaneously with presenting dispute. See in this connection memorandum of conversation dated June 19,⁹ which has been forwarded to you. Sent New York. Repeated Paris, London and Bangkok.

Acheson

5. For membership in the United Nations.
6. No. SD/S/132, not printed; it stated that “The Department will favor Siam’s application for membership in the United Nations in accordance with the United States’ general position toward membership applications during coming Security Council meetings.” (501.AA/4–1946)
7. This position was conveyed verbally to the Siamese Chargé on July 3.
8. From the Siamese Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Secretary General of the United Nations; see footnote 70, p. 1006.
9. Memorandum by Mr. Moffat, not printed.