Office of the Historian

486. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State1

Vientiane, October 25, 1957—6 p.m.

661. Department pass CINCPAC, for POLAD information. Reference: Embtels 659 and 660.2 As reported reference telegrams agreements signed in Political Commission October 22 appear tantamount to RLG sellout to PL. Embassy understands … that even French, who played important role in drafting original RLG project (Embtel 6073). deeply concerned over consequences if agreement implemented.

I would therefore appreciate stiff instructions4 voicing US dissatisfaction with agreement. Since situation changing from day to day and certain key RLG Ministers who in past agreed with US position (Katay in particular) for support agreement [now?] I would, however, like to have leeway in presenting US position should lighter touch then appear desirable.

Believe it timely for Embassies Paris and London to discuss RLG–PL political agreement with French and UK Foreign Offices since agreement appears to be so bad that for once united Western front might be reestablished on this subject. Faced with united opposition of three major Western powers, RLG could hardly fail reconsider entire political agreement. Holliday this morning said he was thinking of suggesting to London that tripartite talks might again be desirable. … I believe however his information on political agreement is less complete than ours.

Parsons
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/10–2557. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Bangkok, and Phnom Penh.↩
  2. Telegram 660 is Supra; regarding telegram 659, see footnote 5 thereto.↩
  3. See footnote 5, Document 477, and, footnote 2, Document 483.↩
  4. See Infra.↩