751J.00/6–2954: Telegram
The Chargé at Saigon (McClintock) to the Department of State
2933. Repeated information Paris 1042, Geneva 272, Vientiane, Bangkok, Phom Penh unnumbered. Prince Savang of Laos asked me to call on him this afternoon. He was accompanied by Prince Souvanna Phouma, Laotian Prime Minister. Savang said he wanted to inform me that at recent meeting of Laotian Cabinet presided over by his father, the King, (who departed today for Europe by sea) Laotian Government had taken decision not to recede in any degree from position which Laotian delegation had established initially at Geneva; namely, that Laos would insist on withdrawal of Viet Minh invaders from its soil and would not entertain thought of giving any concession to Communists. Prince Savang said that all blandishments of Chou-En-lai would be in vain so far as his government was concerned and he wanted US Government to be aware of Laotian resolve in this respect.
Savang said he was frankly suspicious of intentions of French Government and the purpose of his flight to Paris is to undertake a personal reconnaissance of French Government’s thinking. Both he and Souvanna Phouma were fearful that in framework of a cease-fire or armistice covering Vietnam, present French Government might be willing to grant concessions to Viet Minh which would be injurious to Laotian sovereignty and territorial integrity. Savang said if French did arrive at any backstairs deal of this nature, he would publicly disavow any such arrangement and Laos would, if necessary, “fight on alone”. Laos would in such event make an immediate appeal for United Nations intervention.
Savang said he would like assurances from US of American support, both moral and, if possible, material. However, he fully recognized there was no question of US military intervention in Indochina and agreed with me that if Secretary’s announced policy of seeking to establish a base for “united action” within the framework of some collective security system for Southeast Asia could be achieved, this would more than satisfy Laotian desire for backing from US; nevertheless, both he and Souvanna Phouma felt that conditions have now so altered that if US is to continue to give military and economic aid in Indo-china, [Page 1765] and specifically to Laos, it should be done directly and not through the French channel.
Both Prince Savang and Souvanna Phouma said there was no possibility of latter’s having contact with his half-brother and that there would be no arrangement for a coalition government with so-called Pathet-Laos elements.
I recommended to Savang that he get in touch with our Embassy in Paris on arrival as I thought it might be helpful for him to see Ambassador Dillon.