493.918/8–1353: Telegram
The Ambassador in India (Allen) to the Department of State
310. For Under Secretary. Your telegram 128, August 3 and Embtels 276 August 10 and 288, August 11.1
I asked Pillai today if he had anything to tell me re thorium nitrate case. He replied he had been thinking matter over and had come to conclusion it would be preferable not to present suggested statement to Prime Minister. He said that while Nehru was anxious to maintain good relations with US, we should bear in mind GOI “is young and perhaps supersensitive re its sovereignty”. He said well established and strong governments like US and those of Western Europe could make agreements which GOI would find impossible to enter into. He was afraid Prime Minister might make rash decision if confronted with draft, leaving no room for negotiation. Pillai said he understood from my report of your instruction of August 3 that you did not necessarily have in mind exchange of written documents and he hoped oral understanding could be worked out.
- See footnote 3, supra.↩