790.5/7–2354: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
399. Deptels 4451 and 446,2 July 22 discussed with Denis Allen this morning. Following are his comments on numbered paragraphs Deptel 446 which he made with reservation that Eden has not yet had time to give full consideration to SEA collective defense matters: [Page 658]
- 1.
- Our difficulty re ROK and Formosa fully recognized and British will probably agree that formal invitations should not be sent unless there is informal indication of acceptance.
- 2.
- Agreeable in principle.
- 3. and 4.
- August 7 deadline fixed in order give time for Colombo Powers to issue statements associating themselves with Geneva settlement. As British believe at least some of these powers will not agree to attend SEA collective defense meeting British feel time should be allowed for all practical efforts to inspire at least declarations of association and that possibility such declarations being issued is sufficiently bright to outweigh disadvantages of delay involved. British believe August 7 deadline will allow time for declarations to be made, informal sounding on acceptability of invitations to be carried out, and formal announcement of meeting to be issued but are pessimistic re possibility advancing this deadline. So far as British aware, French have not been consulted but Foreign Office agrees some approach should be made promptly, probably by Ambassadors Paris. British have kept Australia and New Zealand informed and anticipate no questions or difficulties from them.
British inclined to feel meeting should be held in SEA area and Allen mentioned in noncommittal way possibility of Baguio. Allen hopes he himself will not have to attend and apparently anticipates British representative will be a special appointee such as retired or temporarily unemployed ambassador.