Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

694.001/7–1151: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India ¹

confidential

Washington, July 19, 1951—7 p. m.

165. ReDeptel 81, July 11.² Dulles has had reply from Morrison re approach to Nehru on Jap Peace Treaty. UK fully agrees importance securing India’s participation but considers approach Nehru shld be made at later date. Morrison points out cease-fire negots in Korea and possibility that Dalai Lama may repudiate recent Sino-Tibetan Agreement³ are likely reinforce Nehru’s unwillingness commit himself at once to signing treaty with Jap which Chi Commie Govt likely denounce as illegal. Morrison considers there is reasonable chance India will sign multilateral treaty but he feels it important not give impression we wish rush India into taking precipitate decision. Morrison states personal message to Nehru from Attlee might be helpful at “a later stage when the Govt of India has had every opportunity to study draft treaty in detail”.

Dening tells us general feeling is best results can be obtained by having Nye⁴ on return from consultations in London approach Nehru. This will be about same time as distribution of final draft of treaty. Dept will keep you informed but unless instructed otherwise believe matter shld be left in abeyance for time being.

Acheson

1. Telegram drafted by Mr. Allison. For information on the general context of discussions between the United States and India concerning a Japanese peace treaty, see the memorandum of August 29 by William L. S. Williams of the Office of South Asian Affairs, p. 1302.
2. Telegram 239, to London, marked “Personal msg from Dulles to Morrison,” had been repeated to New Delhi as number 81. It was drafted by Mr. Dulles with the approval of Loy W. Henderson, Ambassador to India, then in Washington for consultations. In it Mr. Dulles had stated that the most important immediate task ahead was to assure Indian participation in the peace treaty. In such case Indonesia and Burma would almost surely follow India and the treaty would no longer be primarily a peace of the Western powers with Japan. If Mr. Attlee were sending Mr. Nehru a personal communication on the subject, the United States would like to know when, so as to concert its own efforts most effectively in relation to those of the United Kingdom. (694.001/7–1151)
3. Documentation on Tibet is scheduled for publication in volume vii.
4. Lt. Gen. Sir Archibald Edward Nye, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in India.