252. Letter From the Ambassador in Cambodia (Strom) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson1
Dear Walter: I recall our conversation last October2 about the possibility of a visit by Prince Sihanouk to the United States and remember that you were at that time not in favor of it. However, it seems to me that the time has now come when we should seriously consider inviting him. I have come to the conclusion that it would be on balance very advantageous to us, provided the visit is properly organized so that we do not seem to be in competition with the Communists in the kind of treatment they have given him and which we cannot hope to duplicate even if we wanted to.
There can be no question but that the Communists have made considerable headway with Sihanouk by inviting him to Peking, Warsaw, Moscow, Prague, and also Belgrade. All these trips took place at the initiative of the Communists, and Sihanouk has repeatedly declared that he accepts all invitations—and has done so in the case of the Philippines, Japan, Spain and Austria, the only non-Communist countries that invited him on similar state visits. There is hardly a balance in his recent travels, however, and the Prince is the first to be aware of it. From non-official contacts which he has had with Americans (for instance with Kalb of the New York Times) we believe that he would jump at an invitation to come to the United States.
I consider that we must do our part in restoring the “balance” in Cambodian neutrality that Sihanouk professes in principle but has failed to create in practice. It seems to me that the present lack of balance is partly due to our understandable reaction to his flirtations with the Communists. But we cannot in the long run sulk and refuse to compete to a certain extent with our enemies. While we cannot flatter him the way they do, there are many things we can do, and have failed so far to do, to impress him with our desire for peace our [Page 557] economic strength, our democratic institutions and our friendship for his country.
I would, then propose that we invite the Prince on a visit that would combine a minimum of official entertainment in Washington with a maximum of “orientation” of the kind that is offered under the Leader Grant program. There would have to be adjustments to allow for his status and his need for special attention. But I believe that such adjustments should be possible and that a good program could be worked out which would be acceptable to him and would achieve the purposes I have in mind.
I should like to have authority to broach this subject with him in the near future. There is no need for the visit itself to be in the very near future—it might be in the fall, for instance. I would like to be able to encourage him to spend at least four weeks in the U.S. and possibly longer. In fact, the length of his stay might be a condition for the invitation. I have in mind a trip that would bring him for a few days to Washington and doubtless for a while to the U.N. at New York, but would otherwise carry him to several other regions including the Middle West and the West Coast. I can very well visualize him conducting his “Cambodian Rhapsody” for Kostelanetz, visiting the Ford plant at Detroit (where he might be entertained “incognito” by some prominent people), observing the life in a typical small or medium-size town, visiting in Texas and spending some time in Hollywood where he would doubtless be a find for the local hostesses. In San Francisco, the Asia Foundation could take him in hand. I imagine he would depart for Cambodia with a lot of useful knowledge about America that would benefit us for a long time.
There is no need, I think, for us to concern ourselves with the details at present when we are, after all, dealing with the question whether the Prince should be invited or not. … The Prince would after all be traveling with a small suite (a valet, probably the French newspaperman Barré who would write accounts of the trip for the Cambodian press, and a Cambodian secretary or high-ranking traveling companion, … and would have to be put up with more comfort than is provided by the usual per diem. …
Another thing that seems like a detail but is really a basic point is the need for a mature, politically knowledgeable and sensitive escort officer. Unless such a man can be found, I think the Prince should not come.
I am quite aware that the idea of a visit by Sihanouk will not give rise to rejoicing in the halls of the Department, but there are many unpleasant and difficult things that have to be done in our national [Page 558] interests, and I do believe that despite the counter-arguments, of which I am well aware, we should give very serious consideration to the idea of inviting the Prince to visit our country. With warm regards,
Sincerely yours,