Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 306
Memorandum by the Special Adviser to the United States Delegation (Bonsal) to the Deputy United States Representative and Coordinator of the Delegation (Johnson)1
secret
Geneva, July 20, 1954.
Subject:
- Soviet Amendments to Cambodian Declaration
We have just received the amendments proposed by the Soviet delegation in the unilateral declaration to be made by the Government of Cambodia. These amendments appear to be addressed to the French draft of early yesterday (Secto 6682) and ignore the language added to the French draft by the Cambodians last night (Secto 6783).
The Soviets propose the following changes:
- 1.
- Cambodia is to declare its intention not to enter into military alliances, as well as not to permit the establishment of foreign bases on its territory.
- 2.
- The following language qualifying the commitment not to permit foreign bases is omitted: “as long as Cambodia is not attacked or exposed to threat of attack.”
- 3.
- The Soviet draft would permit Cambodia to solicit foreign aid in matériel, in personnel or in instructors “only for the needs of self-defense and within the limits fixed by the agreements on the cessation of hostilities.” The French and Cambodian drafts permit Cambodia to [Page 1470] solicit such aid “within the limits defined above [i.e., in the declaration itself]4 and in the framework of a strictly defensive policy which it [Cambodia] intends to apply in the future as it has always done in the past.”