518. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State1
2896. I spoke to Foreign Minister Thanat today along lines Deptel 2534 (repeated Saigon 1820, Tokyo 1732, Seoul 554).2 Thanat said he discussed Japanese experience with Japanese Red Cross delegation Geneva and was given understand main point at issue with NKRC was latter’s insistence on sending representatives Japan to observe or otherwise participate in screening repatriates. (Thanat not entirely clear as to precise role such representatives would have.) JRC representatives did not indicate ICRC’s screening was an issue. Thanat confirmed that Thai Government plan, presented DRV through ICRC, provided for Thai Government screening with ICRC observation. Said ICRC had sought assurances Vietnamese not desiring go to North or South Vietnam be permitted remain Thailand. Thanat said he could not give such assurances but with Cabinet approval gave ICRC letter stating force would not be used in repatriation Vietnamese refugees. Thanat also said he will seek tomorrow obtain reversal Thai Government decision conversations between Thai RC and DRV RC to be held in Geneva. Both he and ICRC prefer Rangoon on grounds latter does not offer same advantages to Communists should they seek exploit conversations for propaganda purposes.
Thanat said GVN protested to ICRC about a month ago against its playing any role in Vietnamese refugee problem on grounds that GVN considers all Vietnamese in Thailand are GVN nationals; DRV therefore has no right negotiate over them. Thanat said Thai Government has heard nothing directly from GVN this score.
In reply my statement USG would find it very difficult justifying use funds to assist repatriation refugees to Communist-controlled area, Thanat said he hoped we would look at matter from standpoint desirability removing dangerous, hostile Communist group from Thailand. I told him this was firm position USG but if at some appropriate future [Page 1075] time he had concrete proposals to make, I would of course transmit them to the Department. However we both agreed matter entirely theoretical at this time.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 292.51G22/5–1959. Confidential. Repeated to Saigon, Seoul, and Tokyo.↩
- In telegram 2534, May 15, the Department urged upon Johnson the need to convey to Thanat the importance which the United States attached to resolution of the Vietnamese refugee question. Johnson was also to make clear U.S. wishes to give the ICRC a primary role in screening the Vietnamese imprisoned by the Thai authorities. Finally, the Thai were to be told that while the United States would have serious difficulty in justifying use of funds for assistance to a repatriation program under which refugees would be sent to Communist-controlled areas, it would consider supplementing expenditures for a program of voluntary resettlement in South Vietnam. Johnson was to make clear, however, that this was not a commitment to provide such assistance. (Ibid., 292.51G22/5–1559)↩