Office of the Historian

501. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos1

Washington, November 13, 1957—7:52 p.m.

524. In current situation we inclined believe further U.S.-initiated discussions would be waste of time. In response inquiries of course we should maintain opposition to coalition and political military agreements as imperiling Lao future; our position this problem has not changed. (Re military agreement we concur analysis Vientiane 785.2 Agreement seems be PL-dictated document and RLG as usual overconfident. Worst of many bad points is 60-day prohibition RLG entry two provinces, RLG agreement to which we find incredible.) Apart from replying inquiries we consider advisable (but leave this your discretion) be silent.

[Page 1031]

We await your suggestions for U.S. course of action following investiture coalition government (Vientiane 7983). We also await your views as to whether or not message from Secretary to Crown Prince would be helpful this time and if so your recommendations re content.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/11–1357. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne and cleared by Kocher and Robertson (in draft). Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for POLAD.↩

  2. In telegram 785, November 12, the Embassy and the Army Attaché analyzed the military agreement and noted that it made the following “important concessions” to the Pathet Lao:

    • “(a)ANL cannot occupy two PL held provinces and seal off DRVN and ChiCom frontier until agreement has been implemented (up to 60 days).
    • “(b) Number of PL to be integrated (1500) is higher than figure advanced in previous RLG working paper. Present agreement also permits certain PL officers and specialists to be integrated in addition to 1500 men (paragraph 3d of agreement).
    • “(c) Procedure for demobilizing HW which was spelled out in detail in RLG draft left out of present agreement.

    “(2) Agreement assigned excludes any reference to screening, documenting and reorientation PL to be demobilized or to be integrated.” (Ibid., 751J.00/11–1257)

    ↩
  3. Dated November 13, not printed. (Ibid., 751J.00/11–1357)↩