Office of the Historian

790.5/2–2853: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France1

top secret
Washington, February 28, 1953—2:12 p.m.

4664. Reference previous communications and especially to report of Five Power Military Conference Southeast Asia held here last October and memoranda conversation regarding implementation Article 44.

[Page 278]

Following is text instructions being forwarded by JCS to CINCPAC:

  • “1. JCS desire that you initiate arrangements with the principal military commanders of Australia, France, New Zealand, and United Kingdom in Southeast Asia region for an early meeting between your representatives and theirs at a convenient time and place. Purpose of the meeting is to explore possible procedures for implementation of coordinating measures described in paragraph 44 of the Report of the Five-Power Conference on Southeast Asia. Measures recommended will be subject to approval by the respective Chiefs of Staff or their equivalent.
  • 2. The agenda which you propose for this meeting should include the following:
    a.
    Adequacy of present arrangements for exchange of current intelligence.
    b.
    Adequacy of established and planned communication systems and procedures.
    c.
    Exchange of operational planning information respecting approved national plans involving evacuation of Indochina and Hong Kong.
    d.
    Machinery for further coordination of national plans which may be approved in the future.
    e.
    Recommendations to be forwarded to the respective Chiefs of Staff or their equivalent.”2

We are informing representatives here of governments concerned of fact that instructions have gone forward but we are not showing them text. We are stating that US Govt is in agreement to preliminary meeting of representatives of Southeast Asia area Commanders for purpose making recommendations to governments regarding implementation paragraph 44 of five-power report. We are stressing view previously expressed particularly by Secretary Acheson in Paris to effect we oppose any formal organization involving permanent secretariat, etc.

Above is for your information. In event you receive inquiries suggest reply be on general basis of US position expressed in Jan 12 memo of conversation airmailed you.3

Dulles
  1. Cleared with the Department of Defense and also sent to Canberra, London, Saigon, Singapore, and Wellington.↩
  2. These instructions were sent to CINCPAC in telegram JCS 932447, Feb. 27. (JCS records, CCS 092 Asia (6–25–48))↩
  3. Bonsal’s memorandum of a conversation held Jan. 12 on this subject is quoted in his memorandum of Feb. 17 to Allison, p. 267.↩