Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 257: Telegram

The United States Delegation to the Department of State

secret

Secto 263. Dept pass USUN. Substance Tosec 2031 and Usun 7452 to Dept discussed with Chauvel this morning:

1.
He agrees quick action desirable and believes whatever Washington decides re timing should be controlling.
2.
He concurs with Lodge Thailand case should go first to Security Council. He believes it should then go to Interim Committee rather than Assembly in interests of speed and avoiding possible complications in Assembly.
3.
He believes appeal should be made at this time exclusively by Thailand. He concurs in Lodge’s thinking and adds that for Asiatic state not participating in Indochina Conference to appeal to UN on grounds of tension in nearby areas would reinforce allied position at Conference and suggest externally successful settlement on Indochina unlikely at Geneva. For Laos and Cambodia to be associated with it at this time would carry connotation they and France had prematurely given up hope for successful conclusion at Geneva. He stated incidentally latest military information was that Vietminh were moving slowly towards Delta and not towards Laos.

He will consult Bidault on foregoing but is confident of his agreement.

Smith
  1. Dated May 19, p. 851.
  2. Telegram 745, May 19, from New York, not printed, contained USUN’s comments on the question of Thailand’s initiating a request for United Nations POC action for Indochina. (751G.00/5–1954)