39. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Australian Ambassador (Spender) and the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant), Department of State, Washington, March 30, 19551
During the course of a call on me yesterday on another subject, Sir Percy Spender raised the question of the Kra which had been brought up by the Australians at the time of the Menzies visit. He said that they were anxious to know whether or not they could count on American political support in the event of war or a major emergency for a move northward to the planned defensive position. Secondly, they still desired some advance political or legal authority for such a move. He said that on the latter point an idea I had personally tossed out to Tange appealed to him. This was an extension or some formalization at the military level of the arrangements which I understand exist between the police authorities in Thailand and Malaya for crossing the frontier in the suppression of bandits. I mentioned to him the Secretary’s off-hand thought that some generalized arrangement might be made within the framework of the Manila Pact under which a particular country or countries might be assigned primary defensive responsibilities in a particular area with the understanding that they would move into adjacent areas in the interest of common defense under emergency conditions. On the question of political support I said that to me there seemed to be no doubt that we would give them such support in the event of war or the type of emergency envisaged.
In any event, Sir Percy indicated that they are awaiting our further views on these two aspects of the problem.
I told Mr. Sebald and Mr. MacArthur of this conversation and understand that the latter, in accordance with the Secretary’s earlier assignment, will undertake the action responsibility in collaboration with FE.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5/3–3155. Top Secret. Drafted by Merchant on March 31.↩