148. Letter From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Steeves) to the Ambassador in Cambodia (Trimble)1
Dear Bill: Your letter of September 22, 1960,2 gave me a very welcome preview of the Cambodian proposals for increased military aid, and I particularly appreciated your comments on the various segments of the Cambodian demands. Meanwhile, the details have arrived in Despatch 93,3 which I consider an excellent piece of work.
Pending receipt of comments from CINCPAC and Defense on other aspects of your recommendations, we have been grappling here in the Department with the specific problem of jet training, to which [Page 386] you have attached particular importance.4 As you may realize, this entails overcoming some rather strong inhibitions, particularly since we hope to avoid, if possible, carrying a split to the higher levels. Our present aim is to reach a position somewhat as follows: Offer grant jet training in the US, but say at the same time that we cannot consider giving jets under MAP for lack of military justification; add that we understand Cambodia’s wish to enter the jet age and have no objection to the purchase by the RKG of jets from some free world country. Meanwhile, we would hope to urge the British, French, et al. to step forward at Phnom Penh with their various offers. This position has not yet been approved and has in fact evoked considerable opposition yet to be overcome.
The present tentative plan is to communicate any decision on the Cambodian proposals to the RKG through the usual channels, namely the Embassy and MAAG, and not to General Lon Nol while he is here. In fact, there appears little for us to say to the General other than to invite his comments on the proposals and to assure him they are being given sympathetic consideration. We shall, of course, use any suitable opportunity to refer to the budgetary problem, as you recommend. I would like to take the Cambodians up on their mention of the need to prevent infiltration of neighboring countries via Cambodian territory and would welcome any comments you may care to make on this point and on any others you think we might raise with Lon Nol here. Word has just been received that his visit is again postponed.
With all good wishes,
Sincerely,
- Source: Department of State, FE/SEA (Cambodia) Files: Lot 63 D 73, 1–C.4, Official–Informal Correspondence. Secret; Official–Informal. Drafted by Askew on October 20 and cleared by Cleveland.↩
- In this official–informal letter, Trimble informed Steeves of the initial negotiations with Cambodian officials on U.S. aid. (Ibid.)↩
- Dated September 28. (Ibid., Central Files, 751H.5–MSP/9–2860) This despatch is summarized in telegram 378 from Phnom Penh, October 1. (Ibid., 751H.5–MSP/10–160; included in the microfiche supplement)↩
- In telegram 274 from Phnom Penh, September 6, Trimble made a special case for providing jet training to Cambodia and warned that if the West did not provide assistance, Cambodia would get it from Sino-Soviet bloc. (Department of State, Central Files, 751H.5622/9–560; included in the microfiche supplement)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩