751H.00/7–954: Telegram
The Ambassador at Saigon (Heath) to the Department of State
[Received 11:20 a.m.]
113. Repeated information Paris 50, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Manila unnumbered. Ambassador Donovan came over from Bangkok yesterday [Page 1799] for brief visit in Phnom Penh. He was received there by McClintock and Goodman. Party had interviews with acting Foreign Minister Poc Thoun, Prime Minister Penn Nouth, acting Chief of Staff Colonel Ngo Hou, and were received by King.
King, who obviously was not in good health, said that his informal approaches to various “neutral” governments had thus far met with affirmative responses to his inquiry if unofficial visit would be welcome to those governments. His Majesty added favorable replies had been received thus far not only from India, but from Burma, Ceylon, and Argentina. His official visit to Thailand was another matter.…
King said with respect to India he particularly wanted to see Nehru as a sort of political curiosity. He wanted to demonstrate to Nehru in person that Cambodia was really independent and to bring conviction to Indian Prime Minister that his concept of Cambodia as tutelary state under French domination was now completely out of focus following King’s successful and bloodless revolt against French last year. King said motivation for his trip in Asia at least was fact that, although great Western powers had recognized Cambodia, new Eastern states still doubted authenticity of Cambodia’s independence.
Continuing re problem of recognition of Cambodia, Foreign Minister and Prime Minister said that following recent conversations in Geneva between Cambodian representative and Vice President of Philippines Garcia latter had requested Cambodia Foreign Minister to submit documentary proof of Cambodian independence. Acting Foreign Minister, who is jurist, is now preparing dossier for submission to Philippines. McClintock said that we would be glad informally in Manila to discuss this question with Philippine president and to stress US belief that of all three Associated States in Indochina, Cambodia is in fact the most independent.
McClintock suggested to Penn Nouth that if at all possible King be accompanied by interpreter who could translate His Majesty’s words direct from Cambodian into English and not from French into English. If King spoke only French to Nehru, Indians and others might be persuaded that he was not as free of French influence as His Majesty might suggest. McClintock likewise offered to send USAF doctors or His Majesty himself to a USAF hospital in Philippines or Japan in event his health is not speedily recovered. Apparently His Majesty is suffering from chronic liver disease exacerbated by dysentery.
Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and King all concurred that so far as Cambodia was concerned what happened to Vietnam was matter of slight interest. None of these officials believes that Cambodians would care in the least if Tonkin were lost to Viet Minh and none seemed to comprehend grave danger to Cambodia which loss of Hanoi would [Page 1800] imply. They said repeatedly, “quarrels between the Vietnamese are of no interest to us, and the more they quarrel the better we like it.”
Queries to King, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister as to Cambodia’s attitude toward a Far East Asian collective defense arrangement evoked reply that in principle Cambodia would go along, but that basically Cambodians are not greatly interested. They were, however, unanimous in insisting that Geneva should not impose any servitude on Cambodia, particularly with respect to its inherent right of self-defense. All three persons insisted many times they wanted nothing more than direct US aid in end-items and training assistance as quickly as possible.