851G.01/3–849: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
951. Auriol and Bao Dai at noon today exchanged letters to which agreement was annexed.1 According to official communiqué, “this agreement completes and defines joint declaration signed Bay of Along, June 5, 1948. Instrument will be exchanged at Saigon between Bao Dai and French High Commissioner. Agreement will enter into effect date this exchange”.
In statement to press Bao Dai recalling principles Bay of Along agreement remained to be defined said: “the agreement just signed accomplishes this aim. It replaces the former treaties signed by my [Page 11] ancestors”. Embassy understands government has decided not make agreement public at least until after Assembly debate and probably not until Bao Dai reaches Indochina. Exchange of letters may however be published sooner.
Repeated Saigon 29.
- The French text was published in pamphlet form about June 18 by the French Service de la Presse et d’Information at Saigon (transmitted in despatch 29, July 6, by Saigon; received by the Department July 20). English texts were transmitted in airgram A–301, July 2, by the Department to Manila and repeated to Bangkok, Batavia, Hanoi, New Delhi, Rangoon, Saigon, Singapore. See also Paris telegrams 1065, March 16, 2 p. m.; 1077–1078, March 16, 8 p. m.; and 1168, March 22, 8 p. m., none printed. Telegram 2608, June 23, 1 p. m., from Paris, reported the agreements of March 8 had been made public there June 20 and published late June 22. (851G.00/6–2349)↩