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

793.00/1–2332: Telegram

No. 5
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Burma¹

secret

Washington, February 2, 1952—2:03 p.m.

673. Embtel 729 Jan 25² and 750 Jan 29. You may inform FonOff that Dept in sympathy with plan repatriate KMT troops but believes US Govt shld not urge Thai Govt take steps which might involve it in serious difficulties with Chi Commies. You shld therefore suggest that GOB consider possibility repatriating troops thru Rangoon³ possibly with advance concurrence Chi Commies. Dept prepared use good offices transmit proposal to Chi Govt Taipei if above suggestion acceptable to GOB.

Acheson

1. Repeated to Taipei and Bangkok.
2. See footnote 2, Document 3.
3. On Jan. 31, the Embassy reported that the Permanent Secretary of the Burmese Foreign Office stated that it would be inconsistent with neutrality and contrary to international law for the Burmese Government to assist the Nationalist troops in Burma to join the Chinese forces on Formosa. The telegram was received in the Department on Feb. 1, but presumably did not reach the Burma desk until after telegram 673 was drafted. (Telegram 753; 790B.00/1–3152)