Office of the Historian

128. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1

Washington, December 17, 1959—7:55 p.m.

1115. For Ambassadors Durbrow, Johnson, and Trimble from Parsons. Saigon’s 1934.2 Appreciate and applaud results your meeting reported reftel. Gratified you also felt meeting useful. Agree with tenor your views and suggestions, preliminary comments on some of which follow:

a)
Am recommending Department ask Ambassadors Bunker, Snow, Jones and Byington for comments on your promising suggestion encourage contact between Sihanouk and leaders their host countries (Paras 4 a and b reftel).3
b)
Shall again explore possibility obtaining data on weapons for use with Sihanouk (Para 4 d) although earlier inquiries failed reveal existence any such material in usable form. This connection would be interested impact on Lon Nol of attendance at CINCPAC weapons demonstration. Oral briefing Sihanouk by high US military figure might be effective if suitable occasion arises.
c)
Re Sihanouk and SEATO (Para 5) thought occurs that he using organization as whipping boy to help invoke US responsibility for acts its SEATO partners particularly Thailand. However, agree Trimble should give him renewed oral assurances if Sihanouk again raises question.
d)
Eventual UN presence (Para 6) merits consideration but believe we should not pursue subject pending clarification UN role Laos.
e)
Believe we have no choice but remain alert to and promptly protest any support by Thailand and Viet-Nam to anti-Sihanouk dissidents. (Paras 2 and 8) At same time we must guard against allowing Sihanouk freedom to raise with impunity to suit his own purposes spectre of Thai or Vietnamese interference and consequent US responsibility to bring “lackeys” into line. US efforts to this end risk encouraging oscillations rather than reverse. This related to first sentence para 2. Similarly agree exchange visits (Paras 9, 11 and 12) worth exploring and encouraging if feasible. Assume Tho visit would not take place prior Sihanouk’s return.
f)
Concur your view GVN should not play up results Thai repatriation poll but in view of Bangkok’s 14054 indicating VN refugees now permitted three choices about which Mau queried Thanat during latter’s August visit, GVN might be urged offer more constructive proposals to RTG for solution this problem. Forthcoming visit to Saigon of King and Foreign Minister, neither of whom should raise presidential hackles alluded to in paragraph 16 reftel, should provide GVN useful opportunity to come forward with more realistic proposals. Change of venue for advancing such suggestions to Saigon would obviate further loss of face by GVN Embassy Bangkok and elevate discussion to more temperate level of conversation between chiefs of state concerning mutual problem of two neighboring equally anti-Communist free nations.

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1451G/12–1559. Secret; Limit Distribution. Also sent to Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Drafted by Askew; cleared by SEA, FE, and UNP; and approved by Parsons.↩
  2. Supra.↩
  3. Done in airgram 34 to Djakarta, also sent to New Delhi and Rangoon, December 17. (Department of State, Central Files, 110.1451G/12–1359)↩
  4. Dated November 27. (ibid., 292.51G22/11–2759)↩