105. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 3, 19591
SUBJECT
- Situation in Cambodia
PARTICIPANTS
- The Honorable Hervé Alphand, Ambassador of France
- The Honorable Charles Lucet, Minister of France
- Mr. Pierre Landy, Counselor
- The Honorable Christian A. Herter, Acting Secretary
- The Honorable Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs
- Mr. Eric Kocher, Director, Office of Southeast Asian Affairs
- Mr. Robert H. McBride, Director, Office of Western European Affairs
- Mr. L.B. Askew, Officer in Charge, Cambodian Affairs
Ambassador Alphand stated that a serious incident had recently occurred on the Thai-Cambodian frontier which appeared to be a sort of plot. Some Vietnamese elements had a part in the plot, he continued, and the French Government fears that if no quieting element is introduced Prince Sihanouk might request the protection of some neighboring country—that is, Communist China, or the latter may of its own initiative exploit the situation to “protect” Cambodia, and eventually control it. He said he knew of Sihanouk’s note to President Eisenhower, that it had been acknowledged, and that no substantive reply had yet been sent. The Ambassador said he felt that the exercise of United States influence was essential to calm the situation in this [Page 294] part of the world, and that a favorable reply to Prince Sihanouk’s letter could open the door to settlement of the incident. He pointed out something also should be said to President Diem to avoid a deterioration of the situation.
Governor Herter stated that we were giving serious attention to the substantive reply to Prince Sihanouk and would welcome any suggestions the Ambassador would wish to make. At the same time, Governor Herter said, he felt he should mention certain incidents which affected United States relationships with France in the area. Reading from his notes, he stated,” …2 French Ambassador Gorce at Phnom Penh (as well as the USSR and ChiCom representatives) informed Prince Sihanouk of the ‘Sam Sary plot’ in January without previously advising our Ambassador of his action. Furthermore, Ambassador Gorce managed to be on the scene at Siem Reap when the Cambodian army force arrived to apprehend dissident General Dap Chhuon; in this case also, Ambassador Gorce chose not to inform our Ambassador until after the fact. Finally, Ambassador Gorce sent a summary of Sihanouk’s letter to the President to his French colleague in Saigon, who promptly passed the information on to President Diem without previously notifying United States representatives. These actions appear not to have been calculated to advance the cause of common Western interests in the area.” When he had finished reading, the Acting Secretary stated this was really putting the case mildly since these actions, particularly the French approach to President Diem regarding the letter, had placed us in a very embarrassing position. Returning to the substantive matter, Governor Herter stated that we share the French concern over the situation and regard it as particularly delicate since it involves three friendly countries, and entails the danger of Chinese Communist intervention. He added that the United States hoped it would be possible to prevent a deterioration of the situation and then asked Mr. Roberston if he had any comments to make.
Mr. Robertson said he had little to add to the Acting Secretary’s remarks, except that we had made the strongest possible representations to all three countries concerned in an attempt to persuade them to resolve the age-old problems underlying the current difficulties. He said that Thailand and Viet-Nam undoubtedly were genuinely concerned over Prince Sihanouk’s growing relations with the Communists which the neighboring countries regarded as a serious threat to them. He recalled that early last year Prince Sihanouk publicly (in Realites Cambodgiennes) indicted the Communist threat, citing Communist attempts to subvert priests and other elements of Cambodian society. Then suddenly Sihanouk had recognized the Peiping regime and it [Page 295] was only natural, Mr. Robertson added, that the Thai and Vietnamese would become concerned that the Communists might envelop Sihanouk before he knew it. We agree with the French, Mr. Robertson continued, that anything which creates bad feelings among these countries is against free world interests and we have done everything in our power to avoid an intensification of these difficulties. He then mentioned that not only Ambassador Gorce at Phnom Penh but also the Communist representatives had told Sihanouk of the Sam Sary plot and the latter furthermore had accused the United States of involvement.
Ambassador Alphand replied that he believed the French had also been accused of complicity because some French arms had been uncovered. Mr. Robertson replied that according to our information the Cambodians have used France’s action in informing Sihanouk of the plot to show what a bad friend the United States has been.
Ambassador Alphand then stated that the United States and France must work together in this problem and that he would report the lack of cooperation which the Acting Secretary had mentioned to Paris, although he had had the impression that our respective Ambassadors at Phnom Penh were the best of friends.
Mr. Robertson stated that also had been our impression and we, therefore, had been all the more surprised at the actions of Ambassador Gorce. When Ambassador Alphand said he thought Gorce had warned Strom of the plot, Mr. Robertson replied that this warning had come only after the fact and that Gorce had not seen fit to advise our Ambassador that he intended to inform Sihanouk.