751J.00/4–2753
Memorandum, of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)1
Subject:
- Situation in Laos
Participants:
- Mr. Robertson—FE
- Mr. Bonsal—PSA
- Mr. Landon—PSA
- Ambassador Sarasin—Thailand
The Thai Ambassador, Mr. Pote Sarasin, called at his request and stated that he had been instructed by his Government to inquire what the United States Government intended to do in connection with the Viet Minh invasion of Laos. He explained that his Government was deeply concerned with the possible threat to Thailand and that in order to formulate its own policy it desired to ascertain U.S. policy.
The Ambassador was informed that this Government regarded the invasion of Laos with deep concern; that we were impressed by French-Laotian determination to resist; that the questions involved of a military and political nature were being studied at the highest levels; that we were studying ways and means of making our help more effective, but that as yet no conclusions had been reached which might be defined at this time and, therefore, it would be more useful to discuss this question again a little later.
Reference was made to United Nations consideration of the problem and the Ambassador was asked what the position of his Government would be in the United Nations. He said that speaking personally and not for his Government he believed that his Government would be prepared to support the Laotian appeal. He hastened to add that he was not certain, however, whether his Government would be prepared to send troops unless, of course, other U.N. troops were first committed.
[Page 515]The Ambassador then described what he believed might be the alternatives for Thailand if Laos fell to the enemy. He believed that, for the time being, there would be no military action across the border; that the next step would be for the enemy to consolidate his position in Laos; that then the enemy would institute various internal economic reforms in order to appeal to the Lao people there and in other areas; that subsequently the enemy would engage in a cold war propaganda program to appeal to the Lao people of northern and northeastern Thailand, of whom there are about five million. He indicated that his Government feared such a sniping campaign might weaken the central Government and attract a substantial part of the population to the Communist cause. He reminisced that this development of a Lao-Thai union of states was along the lines of the plans of the Thai politician, Pridi Phanomyong, who had dreamed of a Thai Republic of States which would make the Lao-Thai people in the Shan States, in China, in Laos and in Thailand aware of one another and lead them to unite in a political entity or union.
The Ambassador reverted to his original question and asked if he might be informed when some firm U.S. policy was formulated in regard to the recent developments in Laos. He was given assurance that he would be so informed.
- Drafted by Kenneth P. Landon, Officer in Charge, Thai and Malayan Affairs.↩