50. Telegram From the Embassy in Burma to the Department of State1
6. Joint State/ICA message. Department telegrams 1305, 1306.2 Accompanied by Usher, I conveyed new loan offers to Barrington July 2, giving him aide-mémoire setting forth terms. Barrington pleased, thought offer “an important step forward”.
I explained Battle Act not directly mentioned in offer but it should be understood that, since US still bound by act, we were proceeding along lines suggested U Nu letter: That if US embarked on aid program and later felt obliged by reason of GUB action to terminate program, GUB would understand and continue friendly. Barrington said GUB would understand this frame for offer since it fully discussed when Cabinet considered Nu letter.
Barrington asked to what period of time loan ceilings were expected to correspond, and whether assistance would continue thereafter. I replied that ceiling could be theoretically reached within FY 1957 if sufficient sound projects could be agreed upon, but that only experience would show how fast could go. Re continuance of assistance, I replied per last paragraph Deptel 1306. He asked for something in writing on this to help him answer anticipated questions, and I have sent him informal memo.
My aide-mémoire and memo forwarded Department with despatch 4.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 411.90B41/7–256. Confidential.↩
- Documents 47 and 48.↩
- Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 411.90B41/7–256)↩