396.1 MA/9–654: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Secto 13. Afternoon session commenced 2:30 p.m. and adopted proposal by Thailand to commence consideration with articles of draft treaty2 before proceeding to preamble, non-controversial articles to be considered first.
Article I and VI approved without amendment. Article VII approved with change in wording as follows: First seven words deleted and following inserted immediately following “security of the area” in first sentence: “may by unanimous agreement of the parties be invited …”
Articles VII, IX and X were approved with “the Republic of the Philippines” inserted in the blanks which relate to the place of deposit of instruments of accession. Following acceptance of French proposal to replace “overcome” by “to counter” in Article II, decision taken to defer further discussion as UK being unwilling comment on term “mutual aid” in absence of final decision on Article III.
Articles IV and VIII which are interrelated not discussed.
In discussion of Article III French and Philippine proposals not broached at all. No final decision taken on Articles but general agreement was reached on omission of words “and with other free states” to which term Pakistan objects strenuously. General agreement exists on substance of article but there is considerable difference on wording. While several delegations extremely anxious not extend economic assistance to states not in treaty area even by implication other delegations insist that treaty must not in any way restrict member states from extending assistance to non-member states. It believed that approval of that article merely question of finding suitable terminology and does not present serious problem.
In Article V, original Australian proposal, “the Council shall set up such subsidiary machinery as may be necessary to achieve the military and other objectives of the treaty” amended by Pakistan, Thailand and Philippines to insert word “economic” following “military”. US suggested a text to replace Australian reading: “The Council shall provide for consultation with regard to military and other planning as required by the situation in the area”. This [Page 862] generally acceptable with discussion of possible minor amendments to UK, France, Australia and New Zealand but not other three delegations. Discussion this article postponed to next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 5 o’clock until 9:30 a.m., September 7, 1954. Noncommittal communiqué prepared for press.
- Repeated for information to Bangkok, Karachi, New Delhi, Saigon, Tokyo, Canberra, Wellington, London, and Paris; repeated by pouch to Colombo, Djakarta, Phnom Penh, Rangoon, and Vientiane. Also repeated for information to CINCPAC via military channels; the Department was requested to pass it to the Department of Defense.↩
- See telegram Secto 9 dated Sept. 4, p. 839.↩