892.014/10–446
The Department of State to the Siamese Delegation94
Memorandum
The members of the Siamese Delegation will recall that on a number of occasions the United States Government has made clear its view that it cannot recognize territorial changes effected by Japan or with Japanese assistance in the course of Japanese aggression and that it does not, therefore, recognize the transfer of the territories which Siam acquired from Indochina in 1941 and believes that Siam should restore the territories and reestablish the status quo ante.
Clearly this Government could not urge the French Government to accept any proposal which would condition the restoration of the territories upon the cession of a part of the territories to Siam. That would have meant American support of the thesis that a nation having committed an international wrong may utilize such wrong to bargain for some gain it desires and refuse to rectify such wrong until it gains its end.
On the other hand, this Government has equally made clear that in holding to its belief that the methods by which Siam acquired the territories were wrong and that the territories should be restored, it has in no way undertaken to pass upon the merits of the pre-1941 Siamese-Indochinese border, and its position is entirely without prejudice to any boundary adjustments or transfers of territories which may be accomplished, subsequent to their restoration, through orderly, peaceful processes. It has, therefore, consistently urged the French Government to give assurance that after the territories are in fact restored by Siam, full opportunity would be given Siam to seek through orderly, peaceful processes such boundary adjustments or transfers of territories as the Siamese Government may believe proper. It has also expressed to the French Government its view that in order to eliminate, if possible, potential sources of future unrest or international discontent, possible changes in the pre-1941 border should be considered on their practical merits and that consideration should be given to ethnic, geographic, economic and similar factors rather than to the conflicting legal and historic claims which relate to the past.
[Page 1087]The French Government has now requested the good offices of the United States Government in presenting to the Siamese Delegation, and in urging its acceptance by the Siamese Government, the attached proposed procedure for the settlement of the French-Siamese difficulties.95 This procedure is entirely consistent with the position which the United States has steadily maintained and it considers that it is in complete consonance with sound principles of international law and with the principles of aims of the United Nations.
The Government of the United States earnestly hopes that the Siamese Government will accept the French proposals as a proper and honorable means of settling the difficulties between France and Siam and establishing friendly relations between the two countries. It believes that a prompt settlement of the present difficulties would be of the greatest importance to the establishment of peace and tranquility in Southeast Asia and also of great value to Siam as the present difficulties must inevitably detract from Siamese efforts to rehabilitate the economy of their country which has been disrupted by the war. This Government hopes, therefore, that prompt consideration will be given these proposals, and, if accepted, that the details of the necessary agreement or agreements may be worked out and completed at the earliest possible date.