396.1 GE/7–1854: Telegram
Smith–Kimny Meeting, Geneva, July 18, Morning: The United States Delegation to the Department of State
Secto 650. Repeated information Paris 91, Saigon 60, Phnom Penh 5. Cambodian Foreign Minister and Cambodian Ambassador to Washington called on me this morning for discussion of conference prospects. We agreed as to strength and justice of Cambodian position and as to probability Cambodia would come out of conference with assurances Viet Minh invaders would be withdrawn.
Re problems of Cambodia’s defense in future, I stated that if Cambodians could create conditions under which they would be able to [Page 1426] import arms and continue to employ French military instructors and technicians, it seemed to me that Cambodia might then, if necessary to secure agreement at conference, make declaration to effect Cambodia does not intend foreign bases on her territory and does not intend to enter military alliances under present circumstances. I stated in this connection that US and other like-minded countries intend to go ahead rapidly and effectively with creation of Southeast Asia pact. If Cambodia could join this pact, so much the better. But if Cambodia were for any reason unable to have a formal relation with the pact, I assured the Cambodian Foreign Minister that, in our view, any aggression overt or covert against Cambodian territory would bring pact into operation even though Cambodia not a member.
I took position that French Union membership afforded Cambodia adequate desirable means of securing through France necessary arms some of which would be American as well as necessary instructors and technicians some of which might well be American trained.
Nong Kimny took careful notes on conversation. Foreign Minister limited himself to statement that Cambodia relies heavily on US for eventual protection against aggression and that Cambodia desires to emerge from current conference with maximum freedom of action re measures Cambodia may take to assure defense.