Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 1

396.1 MA/9–654: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Department of State¹

official use only

Manila, September 6, 1954—10 p.m.

Secto 12. Opening session SEA conference addressed by Magsaysay, all delegation chiefs.

Magsaysay asserted the Philippines ready stand up and be counted. Warned peaceful co-existence with Communism possible only if free world strong and vigilant.

All delegation heads stressed: Treaty purely defensive to deter aggression and need for economic development cooperation as well as military strength.

Casey, Australia, took view unimportant whether treaty language that of NATO or ANZUS. Believed either could be effective.² Opposed large and elaborate staff or secretariat.

Prince Wan of Thailand stated his Government favored inclusion Cambodia, Laos and Free Vietnam within treaty area, Philippines favor defense system with will and capacity to give immediate adequate and effective assistance to victim of aggression. Also consider recognition principal self-determination right to self-government for Asian peoples vital. Again advocated declaration of principle re self-determination Secretary’s statement substantially as sent Secto 11.³

Dulles

1. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Karachi, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, Saigon, Tokyo, Vientiane, Canberra, Wellington, Paris, and London; repeated by pouch to Colombo, Djakarta, and Rangoon. Also repeated for information to CINCPAC via military channels; the Department of State was requested to pass it to the Department of Defense.
2. According to the transcript of the First Plenary Session (see footnote 1, supra) Casey stated in part: “To be effective the Treaty must have substance as well as form. There has been a lot of what I personally regard as unreal discussion about a NATO type of Treaty as against an ANZUS type of Treaty. It is not, I believe, a matter of substance whether the Treaty language reads like NATO or reads like ANZUS. What matters is the purpose and attitude of mind of the Signatories.”
3. This telegram from Manila, dated Sept. 5, included an advance text of the Secretary’s remarks made at the opening session of the Conference. (396.1 MA/9–554) These remarks are printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Sept. 20, 1954, p. 391.