Office of the Historian

130. Memorandum From the Officer in Charge of Cambodian Affairs (Askew) to the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Anderson)1

Washington, January 8, 1960.

SUBJECT

  • Thai-Cambodian Relations

Embassy Bangkok’s reply (Bangkok’s 1801)2 to our suggestion (Deptel 1649 to Bangkok)3 for a full scale démarche to the Thai on Sihanouk appears rather effectively to quash the idea for the time being. In effect, Bangkok believes we’ve put the cart before the horse; that before we can invoke Thai cooperation we must be able to prove there has been a definite improvement in Cambodia. My view is that such an improvement could most effectively be brought about by Thai (and Vietnamese) cooperation in a constructive, albeit admittedly distasteful, approach to the Sihanouk problem. In fact, I think it highly likely that Sihanouk would even try to hide marked evidences of “improvement” in his attitude (i.e. recognition of Communist menace and desire to hold it at bay), at least until he is much more confident of understanding and protection at the hands of the West.

In casting about for other possible lines of attack on the general problem, the Preah Vihear temple case, of course, comes to mind. Taking into account the treatment of this item in the “Dalat communiqué” (Saigon’s 1934, paras 10 and 11),4 we might give consideration to encouraging Son Sann to return Thanat’s visit to Phnom Penh last summer. Such a return visit would be more effective if it were accompanied by some headway on an outstanding issue. A negotiated interim solution of the temple case might still have a chance of success, e.g., an “interim” agreement for joint administration, explicit reservation by both of their claims to sovereignty, and suspension of proceedings at the International Court “pending further bilateral negotiations”. I have asked Carl Salans to look into the legal aspects and if no [Page 354] obstacles are encountered, shall recommend proposing the idea to the field.5

  1. Source: Department of State, FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, Thailand–Cambodia Relations, 16.4, 1959–60. Secret. Drafted by Askew, cleared by Swezey, and sent through Usher.↩
  2. Dated January 6. (Ibid., 651H.92/1–660)↩
  3. See footnote 2, supra.↩
  4. Document 127.↩
  5. The following notes by Usher appear on the source text at this point: “Note: Tel. from Phnom Penh Sunday reports that Trimble has suggested this return visit to Son Sann, who seemed receptive to the idea. R.E.U.” and “We may want to let Trimble pursue this matter a little further and see what he gets out of it before going out with more detailed instructions. R.E.U.” Anderson gave his approval.↩