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

790.5/9–352

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs (Gibson)

top secret

Washington, September 3, 1952.

Subject:

• Proposed Tripartite Declaration of Intention Concerning Southeast Asia

Participants:

• Mr. Millet, Counselor of French Embassy
• FE—Mr. Allison
• PSA—Mr. Gibson

Mr. Millet called on Assistant Secretary Allison today at his own request. He stated that the Embassy had just received an instruction from Paris to ask the Department to give urgent consideration to the French proposal, which has already been made informally,¹ that a tripartite declaration of intent concerning Southeast Asia be issued by France, Great Britain and the United States. Mr. Millet explained some of the background of the proposal, i.e., that it had originated in Saigon and had been carried from there to Singapore by Letourneau, that Letourneau had suggested it to Malcolm MacDonald,² that the latter’s reaction was favorable, that Letourneau brought the suggestion to Paris where it was well received, and, finally, that the Embassy had been instructed to take it up with the Department. It was stated that the French Embassy in London had been instructed at the same time to take it up with the British.

According to the French conception, the declaration would be a declaration of solidarity and not a warning. Although its provisions were not discussed in detail (to be furnished later) it was stated that it should be short and simple and concern itself primarily with the fact that our intentions in Southeast Asia were peaceful and that we were determined to support the newly sovereign governments of the area in maintaining their independence. The French hoped that as many Asian powers as possible can be brought to participate in the declaration with the three Western powers. They regard the timing of the declaration as of primary importance, knowing that the Peiping conference is scheduled to take place in late September.³ In order to be effective the declaration should be made before the Peiping conference convenes.

In reply, Mr. Allison stated that he thought the suggestion had merit and assured Mr. Millet that we would give it our attention. He commented concerning its connection with the coming military conversations regarding the defense of Southeast Asia which the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and the United States will take part in on September 22.⁴ Although he agreed that the declaration would differ from the warning we have proposed in the past, it was nevertheless inevitable that it should be considered in conjunction with it. He agreed that there was something to be said for the fact that we found ourselves constantly on the propaganda defensive in the Far East and that this might be an opportunity for us to take the offensive for a change. He expressed the opinion that if the declaration were agreed upon it might be effective in attracting attention away from the military conversations and the possible accusation that, here again like ANZUS, we were holding a conference regarding the defense of an area in which the people living in the area were not participating. Finally, Mr. Allison suggested that it would be useful, in considering the matter, if Mr. Millet could give us a draft text of such a declaration.

After agreeing to Mr. Allison’s suggestions and stating that he would furnish us with the text suggested within the next few days, Mr. Millet took his leave.⁵

1. The French proposal was made on July 31 by Millet in a conversation with Philip W. Bonsal, Acting Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs. He also proposed the establishment of a permanent tripartite military organization for Southeast Asia. (790.5/7–3152)
2. British Commissioner General for Southeast Asia, resident in Singapore.
3. The Peace Conference of the Asian and Pacific Regions convened at Peking in the first week of October.
4. These conversations did not begin until Oct. 6. However, the Military Representatives to the ANZUS Council met at Pearl Harbor, Sept. 22–25.

5. No such text has been found in Department of State files. Telegram 1960 to London, Sept. 18, reads in part:

   “Re Fr proposal for tripartite declaration, project dormant with declining enthusiasm generally, even on part of Fr who have as yet failed to provide text for our consideration as originally suggested and agreed to on Sep 3.” (790.5/9–252)