Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, East Asian Security; Cambodia; Laos, Volume XXI

148. Telegram From the Delegation at the SEATO Council Meeting to the Department of State¹

Canberra, March 13, 1957—1 p.m.

Secto 18. SEATO afternoon session (closed) March 13th. Council took up agenda item eight, approval of final communiqué.

Text prepared by drafting committee² distributed only at last minute. In paragraph 13,³ dealing with recommendations Economic Committee, Secretary submitted revision⁴ which was not acceptable to French and Philippine delegations. Various suggestions referred back to drafting committee. Final version⁵ accepted by Secretary with observation for the record that it should be understood that SEATO Economic Committee does not have responsibility for “relieving economic strain of defense burdens and enabling economic development to continue under SEATO’s protective shield”.

Paragraph 22 on neutralism had not been unanimously accepted in drafting committee⁶ but was approved by Council with additional section proposed from floor by New Zealand beginning “it was hoped that as time passed and the value of SEATO became more widely appreciated. …”⁷

Full text communiqué being telegraphed by USIS.

Meeting adjourned to resume in final open session.⁸

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–CA/3–1357. Secret; Priority. Pouched to London, Paris, Singapore, Karachi, Manila, Bangkok, Wellington, Djakarta, Saigon, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Rangoon, Colombo, Delhi, and Taipei at Canberra’s request.
2. SCM/57/D9, March 13, not printed. (Ibid., Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 841)
3. In the draft cited in footnote 2 above, the paragraph in question reads: “SEATO expert committees have recommended specific projects for relieving the economic strain of defense burdens and enabling economic development to continue under SEATO’s protective shield, and Council members undertook to consider the carrying out of these recommendations.”
4. According to the Verbatim Record of the March 13 sessions, this revision reads: “SEATO expert committees have recommended specific projects to deal with certain economic requirements or deficiencies having to do with defense burdens, and Council members undertook to consider the carrying out of these recommendations.” In explanation of the revision, Dulles stated that the particular projects recommended by the expert committees, skilled labor training and truck repair, would not be sufficient to relieve the economic strain of defense burdens. (SCM/57/VR–3, March 13; Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 840)
5. For text of the final communiqué, March 13, see Department of State Bulletin, April 1, 1957, p. 527.
6. Actually, paragraph 21 had been in dispute in committee. In both draft and final versions it reads: “Among the topics discussed by the Council was that of neutralism. It was observed with concern that some governments have in varying degrees adopted a line of active opposition to collective security arrangements such as SEATO which are in full accord with the Charter of the United Nations.”

   The memorandum of a conversation held among Dulles, Casey, and other U.S. and Australian officials at 9:30 a.m. on March 13 indicates that a draft final communiqué previous to that cited in footnote 2 above may have contained milder language on the subject of neutralism. (USDel/MC/8, distributed March 19; Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 853)

7. Ellipsis in the source text. The language proposed by New Zealand was placed at the beginning of paragraph 22 and reads: “It was hoped that as time passed and the value of SEATO became more widely appreciated that those who criticised it today would eventually be willing to welcome it. SEATO is not an exclusive organization, but remains open to all those countries in South-East Asia who are willing to share its benefits and responsibilities.”
8. For the statement made at that session by Secretary Dulles, see Department of State Bulletin, April 1, 1957, p. 532.

   A portion of Dulte 11 from Canberra, March 13 (marked “eyes only Acting Secretary for President from Secretary”), deals with the Canberra meeting. That portion reads: “We have now just concluded our three-day conference. It has been harmonious and constructive and while no major new decisions were taken, there has been solid constructive effort. I think there is general feeling that SEATO is worthwhile and is establishing itself.” (Department of State, Central Files, 110.11–DU/3–1357)