Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

793.00/1–1052: Telegram

No. 1
The Chargé in Burma (Day)² to the Department of State

confidential

Rangoon, January 10, 1952—noon.

651. In conversation Jan 8 after discussion exchange notes Sec 511 (b) MSA³ (Embtel 640, Jan 8)⁴ Acting FonMin U Kyaw Nyein⁵ raised matter of KMT troops in Burma.⁶ He referred to reports from Commie China that US Seventh Fleet was carrying Chinese National troops to Thailand⁷ and that visit of Gen Cole⁸ to Gen Chase⁹ and trip of Gen Collins¹⁰ were connected with creating border disturbances. He said these reports from Peiping carried undertone of threat to Burma which was now again obliged urgently consider taking matter to United Nations. Referring to absence direct communication with Nat China and our previous willingness to help he said GOB glad receive any suggestions on how solve difficulties.

I replied US Govt considered it had done all it cld to help get KMT troops out of Burma and was sure Thailand as sovereign govt was not supplying them. As authorized Deptel 548¹¹ gave categorical denial press reports Seventh Fleet carrying Chinese National troops to mainland. Assured him mil visits were made solely in pursuance of programs mil aid to friendly countries. Pointing to difficulty US Govt faces in helping solve troubles in sovereign countries over which it exercised no control I said believed US Govt while anxious meet GOB request for suggestions wld itself welcome any GOB suggestions on what positive steps US cld take. Expressed opinion prob seemed essentially a regional one which countries from which supplies coming and through which passing wld ultimately have to solve and that in view absence success previous efforts US Govt to assist I thought US Govt might not any longer wish discourage Burma from taking matter to UN but wld report matter to State Dept.

In answer my query for info present KMT troop situation I was informed that troops were preying on countryside, that number had increased, that fresh group of 900 had come into Burma, and that smuggling of arms and supplies continued, place whence 900 came not known. Chiefs of Wa state on border were incensed at KMT troops who had fled from Yunnan after defeat.

Kyaw Nyein ended talk by saying wld take up with PriMin¹² matter of appeal to UN as soon as PriMin returned from Shan state.

Day

2. Henry B. Day, Counselor of Embassy in Rangoon, was Chargé d’Affaires in the absence of Ambassador David McK. Key, who was in Paris as a member of the U.S. Delegation at the U.N. General Assembly.
3. Section 511 (b) of the Mutual Security Act of 1951 (approved Oct. 10, 1951; 65 Stat. 373) required that countries receiving U.S. economic or technical assistance must have agreed “to join in promoting international understanding and good will, and in maintaining world peace, and to take such action as may be mutually agreed upon to eliminate causes of international tension.”
4. Telegram 640 from Rangoon reported that the Burmese Government could not agree, as Section 511 (b) required, “on taking action mutually agreed upon,” because it would be interpreted as a departure from Burma’s policy of neutrality and “wld cause political upheaval.” (460.90B9/1–852) After further negotiations, a mutually acceptable formula was found; for the text of the agreement, effected by an exchange of notes in Rangoon on Feb. 6 and 9, 1952, see United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (UST), vol. 5 (pt. 2), p. 4535.
5. U Kyaw Nyein was Minister for Cooperatives; the Minister for Foreign Affairs was Sao Hkun Hkio.
6. A number of Chinese Nationalist troops under the command of Gen. Li Mi had fled into Burma after the defeat of the Nationalists on the Chinese mainland in 1949. For documentation relating to U.S. concern with the presence of these troops in Burma, see Foreign Relations, 1951, vol. vi, Part 1, pp. 273 ff.
7. On Jan. 2, the Embassy in Rangoon reported news items in the Rangoon press concerning this charge, which had been made in radio and press reports from the People’s Republic of China. (Telegram 616; 793.00/1–252)
8. Brig. Gen. John T. Cole, Chief of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group, Thailand.
9. Maj. Gen. William C. Chase, Chief of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group, Formosa.
10. Gen. J. Lawton Collins, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, visited the Republic of China on Oct. 26 and 27, 1951, as part of a trip to several countries receiving U.S. military assistance. He reported on his trip in a memorandum to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Nov. 13, 1951, printed in part in Foreign Relations, 1951, vol. vi, Part 1, p. 544.
11. Not printed.
12. Thakin Nu.