Office of the Historian

790.5/8–3054: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

secret
Washington, August 30, 1954—9:12 p.m.

1191. For Aldrich from Secretary. Please deliver following to Eden:

“Have just returned from long weekend which will I fear be my only vacation and find your note of August 25.2 I have been greatly disturbed as you have been by EDC and today the adverse vote has come. I have seriously considered changing my own plans but in view of the other countries involved shall probably proceed although I hope I can quickly return. There may I fear be some perplexing problems at Manila and I hope that the Minister who replaces you will have some latitude so that I shall not be delayed through necessity of your representative having to consult you.

I wish greatly you could see your way to allowing representatives of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam to have unofficial observers at Manila. If we are really determined to try to save them from Communism, it seems that we ought to try to build them up rather than to subject them to what I fear will be interpreted as humiliation in not being allowed to observe the making of a treaty which will presumably mention them by name and be designed for their benefit.

Also I am not clear as to the prospective role of Pakistan. Will it be in the ‘treaty area’ and if excluded will it sign the treaty? If it signs the treaty and is in the treaty area, does not that make it imperative to make clear that the treaty deals only with aggression from the Communist area so as to exclude our getting involved in India-Pakistan disputes?

These are thoughts hastily dictated and without benefit of the advice of our working party, which is already at Manila.

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I shall deeply regret it if you are not at Manila as I thought we might there cover a number of matters of mutual interest.”3

Dulles
  1. Drafted by Dulles personally. The source text is telegram Tedul 2 from Manila, Sept. 2, marked: “Following is relay of Secretary’s message to Eden of August 30”.↩
  2. See footnote 2, supra.↩

  3. In telegram 9 to Manila, Sept. 1, repeated for information to the Department and marked “For the Secretary”, the Embassy in London transmitted the following message from Eden:

    “Many thanks for your message. I also much regret that we shall not be meeting in Manila, but I am sure you will agree that in view of the urgent and anxious situation in Europe my place is here.

    “I think that we are very close on the text of the treaty and Gerald Reading, who is representing us in Manila, will explain to you our views on the points you raise. We still feel strongly that the balance of advantage lies against having observers from the three Associated States.

    “This deplorable vote in Paris will open a chapter of problems for the free world. Our work together will be more important than ever and I will do everything in my power to help.” (790.5/9–154)

    The Marquess of Reading was a Minister of State in the Foreign Office. Dulles’ party arrived in Manila at 6 p.m. Sept. 3, local time.

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