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

694.001/8–2151: Telegram

The Ambassador in Burma (Key) to the Secretary of State

secret

Rangoon, August 21, 1951—4 p. m.

208. Depcirtel 138, August 15.¹ In conversation with Emb representative Aug 19 Assistant Secretary FonOff predicted GOB wld refuse invitation San Francisco conf despite USSR acceptance. He pointed out that as GOB did not intend signing treaty there was nothing to be gained by sending delegates to conf. In his opinion Russian acceptance conf invitation merely for purpose making trouble. Thus GOB wld be accused of siding with Soviet Union if it attended conf and then refused to sign. Assistant Secretary suggested possibility Asian countries wld make separate treaty with Japan.²

Key

1. Not printed.

2. In telegram 216, from Rangoon, August 23, the Embassy reiterated its belief that Burma would not attend the conference, and stated that Burma’s fear of mainland China was the basic factor in her attitude. (694.001/8–2351)

   Burma conveyed its decision formally to the Department in its Embassy’s note of August 27. The Burmese Government stated that its positions on reparations, the status of Formosa and the Ryukyus, and the retention of foreign troops in Japan would prevent its signature of the Treaty, and that therefore no useful purpose would be served by its attendance at the proposed conference. (Lot 54 D 423)