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

690B.9321/2–1353: Telegram

No. 35
The Ambassador in Burma (Sebald) to the Department of State¹

top secret
priority

Rangoon, February 13, 1953—5 p.m.

1525. Reference Joint Weeka number 7 (mytel 1518, Feb 13)² and previous communications on subject KMT Burma. I hope Dept appreciate that continued delay in proposing solution this problem to GUB is fraught with serious danger our relations with Burma. Two weeks have now passed since Dept’s instruction of Taipei (Deptel 1170, Jan 30)³ and I have yet to be informed concerning progress if any being made in approach to Chiang or given instructions to proceed with plan. I cannot in good conscience follow delaying tactics much longer without undermining good faith not only myself and Embassy but also Dept and US Govt.

Alsop story (Deptel 1257, Feb 12)⁴ has added further fuel to fire and without doubt will give powerful additional ammunition vocal and aggressive opposition parties aided and abetted by Chinese and Soviet Embassies and Commie propaganda.

I cannot stress too strongly the danger which KMT problem poses to US–Burma relations. I am convinced that further delay will seriously jeopardize these relations which are the result of careful nursing demonstration of integrity and understanding consideration of Burma’s difficulties.

It would help me considerably in my dealings with GUB if Dept could apprise me of present status negotiations so that I can tailor my response accordingly.⁵

Sebald

1. Repeated to Taipei by the Department.
2. Telegram 1518, one of a series of weekly summaries of political, military, and economic developments, reported that clashes between the Nationalist troops and Burmese forces were increasing and were linked in the public mind with President Eisenhower’s Seventh Fleet announcement. The Burmese War Office reported the capture of U.S.-manufactured arms and equipment, and the Embassy’s formerly cordial relations with members of the War Office staff had greatly deteriorated. (790B.00(W)/2–1353)
3. Printed as Document 32.
4. Telegram 1257 summarized a report in a Feb. 11 newspaper column by Joseph and Stewart Alsop that in the summer of 1951 Li Mi’s troops had attempted to invade Yunnan with CIA assistance. (690B.9321/2–1253)
5. Telegram 842 from Taipei, Feb. 14, reported that Rankin had taken up the question with the Chinese authorities and had found several leading figures in the government sympathetic to the U.S. viewpoint, but a decision was delayed by the absence of President Chiang, who was in Kaohsiung. (690B.9321/2–1453) This telegram was repeated to Rangoon, and telegram 1284 to Rangoon, Feb. 16, authorized Sebald to inform the Burmese Foreign Office that Rankin was discussing the matter with the authorities in Taipei on a high priority basis. (690B.9321/2–1453)