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

690B.9321/4–2553: Telegram

No. 69
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Burma¹

secret
priority

Washington, April 25, 1953—1:41 p.m.

1686. It is Department’s view that:

1. On basis UN resolution and despite fact some points still unsettled between Burma and China, US Govt should now further pursue good offices in direction early formation mixed committee along lines suggested by Embassy Bangkok;²

2. Government should agree to formation committee even though at outset Burmese unwilling deal directly with Chinese (such committee would in effect be US–Thai liaison between Chinese on one hand Burmese on other);

3. Governments should designate military representatives to meet in Thailand and agree on recommendations to their Governments for removal of troops and preliminary measures including delimited zone, disarming, maintaining and transporting them;

4. Chinese Government should also request Li Mi designate officer for liaison and information to serve committee in addition to Chinese representative.

Embassies addressed are requested approach respective foreign offices in pursuance good offices, ascertaining if agree participate in committee and name representative. If not please find what concrete objections and recommend steps to overcome.³

Embassy Bangkok please submit recommendation for US representation.

Smith

1. Also sent to Taipei and Bangkok.
2. The Embassy, on Apr. 22, reported that the newly-appointed Burmese Ambassador to Thailand had indicated that, although Burma would not participate directly in a committee, he or the Burmese Military Attaché would confer with Thai and U.S. representatives and help with arrangements for an evacuation. (Telegram 2081; 690B.9321/4–2253)
3. On Apr. 27, the Embassy in Bangkok reported that the Thai Government agreed to participate in the committee and name a representative. (Telegram 2121; 690B.9321/4–2753) On Apr. 28, the Embassy in Rangoon reported that the Burmese Government agreed to the formation of a mixed committee and would designate a military representative, who would not be authorized to deal directly with the Chinese but would use U.S. and Thai representatives as liaison with the Chinese. (Telegram 2073; 690B.9321/4–2853) The Embassy in Rangoon reported on May 13 Sebald’s understanding that the Burmese representative would participate in the committee to the extent practicable without dealing directly with the Chinese; Sebald considered that Burma would in fact be a member of the committee. (Telegram 2142; 690B.9321/5–1353)