892.014/8–946: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:53 p.m.]
3924. In a conversation last night with Baudet re Department’s 3898, August 7,57 he was much more conciliatory. He said that French would no longer insist on withdrawal of all Siamese officials and, that according to preliminary information received from Laurentie, problem of administration was not as difficult as it first appeared. Before the war the number of French officials serving in the areas involved [Page 1055] was about 10 (the splitting of provinces makes it difficult to give an exact figure) and this would accordingly be approximately the number of high Siamese officials which would need to be replaced by neutral or local Cambodian officials. Laurentie also believes that there are a number of former minor officials of local origin residing in the area and additional ones who are refugees in Cambodia, who would be available for an interim administration.
With regard to the separation of the disputed areas from Siamese control, Baudet stated that France would not insist on a change in the judicial or monetary system but that some sort of customs control would have to be established at the frontier, since France could not admit that Siam should continue to monopolize the rich resources, particularly the rice. He indicated that some arrangement whereby exportable surplus would be divided between Siam and Cambodia would be satisfactory.
Baudet stated that full information necessary to send new and precise instructions to Ambassador Bonnet should shortly be available. The Department’s desire for prompt action on the part of the French was emphasized.
At the conclusion of the above, Baudet again referred to the suggestions of Prince Van Vaidyakorn that direct negotiations between the French and the Siamese in the United States might be a preferable solution (my 3855, August 558). Baudet stated that if the same suggestions were made to the Department by the Siamese delegation after its arrival in the United States, the French would be willing to consider it under the following conditions:
- (1)
- That the negotiations be entirely and completely secret and that no publicity be given them.
- (2)
- That it be agreed in advance by the Siamese that if the negotiations were unsuccessful, the plans for the submission of the dispute to the International Court should be continued. Baudet explained that the French could not admit the possibility of the failure of direct negotiations, leaving the whole affair in an impasse.
In an earlier conversation with the British Minister Counselor who had called to support our views regarding the composition of interim administration, Baudet had apparently not been as conciliatory and had emphasized French insistence on the complete separation of the disputed areas from any Siamese control.
Sent to Dept as 3924, repeated to London as 589.