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

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

Washington, November 15, 1957—7:42 p.m.

537. Your 807.² If Crown Prince asks whether coalition will mean termination U.S. aid, you authorized reply as you suggest in sentence reference telegram beginning “Only middle ground” and ending “intended here”. Such reply advisable because 1) Crown Prince was informed last winter of your prospective recall if coalition materialized; 2) it conforms reappraisal requirement of November 13 letter; and 3) it permits flexibility as to outcome reevaluation.

You might add comment re precipitate RLG action but recommend you avoid saying we would be considerably more impressed if settlement had been fully considered by all governing bodies. Such statement assumes formal ratification process would have resulted significant strengthening RLG position but since there no guarantee of this it probably advisable not make modalities of approval strong factor our opposition.

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/11–1457. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Byrne, cleared with Kocher, and approved by Robertson.
2. Supra.