751G.00/4–1654: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Pakistan1
888. Department increasingly concerned lest Colombo Prime Ministers conference2 take course stimulated by Nehru counter to objectives we seek at Geneva Conference. Colombo meeting could present effective sounding board for Nehru appeal to all free Asian nations to avoid association with collective arrangement such as that being supported by US re Indochina. Nehru undoubtedly also will emphasize colonial aspect Indochina struggle. Hope phrasing any official communiqué will not undercut our efforts Geneva.
In view our concern Secretary called in Pakistan and Ceylon Ambassadors to outline our thinking on Indochina (Deptel 867 to Karachi and 284 to Colombo).3 Request you call on Prime Minister and support Secretary’s approach in similar vein especially with regard to importance of assurances of independence Associated States. Additionally your representation should spell out dangerous consequences Commie control Indochina. First, Soviet and Chinese spokesmen make it clear Commie purpose after Indochina is to dominate all Southeast Asia. Second, such control would deny to free nations from Subcontinent to Japan tremendous Southeast Asia rice resources as well as important quantities tin, oil, rubber and iron ore. Third, well developed sea and air routes and bases in Southeast Asia in communist hands would constitute grave immediate threat to India, Ceylon and Pakistan on one hand and Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand on the other. President Eisenhower defined Southeast Asian area as one of “transcendent importance.”
You may say we hope Prime Minister can see way clear to use his good offices and influence at Colombo to drive home (1) scope of danger in Southeast Asia and (2) fact that US plan for united action is based on explicit assurances by French regarding independence three Indochina States.4
[Page 1345]For New Delhi. In his discretion Ambassador may wish to emphasize to Pillai position re independence Associated States.
- Drafted by Lee E. Metcalf, Acting Officer in Charge, Pakistan-Afghanistan Affairs. Also sent to Colombo as telegram 295; repeated for information to New Delhi, London, and Paris.↩
- A conference of the Prime Ministers of India, Pakistan, Burma, Indonesia, and Ceylon was held at Colombo from Apr. 28 to May 2; a wide range of Asian and world problems was discussed. For the final communiqué of the conference, see Denise Folliot, ed., Documents on International Affairs, 1954, Royal Institute of International Affairs (London, Oxford University Press, 1957), pp. 166–169.↩
- Telegram 867 to Karachi, Apr. 9, not printed, summarized the discussion between Secretary Dulles and Ambassador Amjad All of Pakistan. (751G.00/4–954) Telegram 284 to Colombo, Apr. 9, not printed, summarized Dulles’ meeting with R. S. S. Gunewardene, Ambassador of Ceylon, on the same day. (751G.00/4–954) For documentation on these meetings, see volume xii.↩
- Telegram 853 from Karachi, Apr. 20, read as follows: “Prime Minister assured full cooperation.” (751G.00/4–2054)↩