751G.92/25: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Matthews) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:20 p.m.]
588. My telegram No. 544, September 11, 7 p.m., fourth paragraph. I called on Chauvel this morning to inquire as to developments in the Far East. He showed me a brief aide-mémoire left with him yesterday by the Thai Minister here. It stated that in view of the “abnormal” situation in Indo-China the French Government should agree to certain territorial adjustments and settlement of administrative matters immediately even prior to ratification of the non-aggression pact. Thailand requested that the frontier with French Indo-China follow the Mekong River from the northern border as far south as Cambodia and that it follow the deep water channel (thus apparently assuring certain territory on the right bank of the river which forms islands during high [water?] to Thailand), The aide-mémoire specifically requested Thai sovereignty over territory on the right bank of the Mekong opposite Luang Prabang and Pakse. Most of the territory to be transferred thereunder I gather consists of undeveloped forest land. The aide-mémoire likewise demanded assurances that if there is any change in the political and territorial integrity of Indo-China the territories of Laos and Cambodia be returned to Thailand.
I obtained from Chauvel a copy of the French reply which I shall forward by air mail.86 It points out first that the French Government has not requested that the non-aggression pact come into force before exchange of ratifications but merely the wish that this exchange, [Page 128] which will determine its entry into force, take place as soon as the French instrument of ratification reaches Bangkok. Secondly the French Government “fails to perceive the reasons which lead the Thailand Government to consider the present situation in Indo-China as abnormal”, and it cannot therefore appreciate the “reasons for anxiety which the Thailand Government states that it feels with respect to such or such element of the population in territories placed under French sovereignty.” In the third place “in response to the desire of the Prime Minister of Thailand expressed in a letter addressed to the French Minister on July 8 the French Government has agreed that the Mixed Commission charged with settling different questions relative to the Mekong shall meet as soon as the non-aggression pact is ratified. The French Government is willing to abide by this provision and sees no reason to modify its purport.” Fourthly, continues the French reply, “The French Government is firmly resolved to defend against any pretensions and any attack, whatever its origin, the political status and territorial integrity of Indo-China.
The request for the return of territory situated on the right bank of the Mekong cannot therefore be entertained.
For the same reason the request for assurances with respect to the possible return of Cambodia and Laos to Thailand must be considered as groundless.” He said the French Minister at Bangkok had been instructed to communicate the sense of the foregoing to our Minister and the British Minister. This rejection of the Thai démarche was made the subject of an official communiqué published in this morning’s press which I assume has likewise been published in the United States.
The French are continuing to bring pressure on the Japanese to compel the Thailanders to withdraw their demands but so far without success. Chauvel seems confident that the Thailanders would completely modify their attitude if the Japanese gave the word.
He said that negotiations for the military agreement with the Japanese are still pending and that both the French and the Japanese are increasing their demands and conditions. Since the Chinese have blown up the railway bridge and have massed troops all along the northern frontier of Indo-China, the French have pointed out that there seems to be no longer a question merely of passage through Indo-Chinese territory of Japanese troops but that the increasing probability is that Indo-China itself will be the battle ground.
To this argument, he said, the Japanese have made no reply. The French are likewise trying to restrict the territory subject to Japanese troop passage to as narrow a strip as possible north of the Red River and at all costs to keep them out of the thickly populated [Page 129] Hanoi delta region. Negotiations for an economic accord are not even scheduled to commence until the military agreement is arrived at and he seemed somewhat less sanguine today that such an agreement would be reached.
He remarked that the Chinese should be “grateful” as France’s delaying tactics for the past 3 months had permitted the Chinese to destroy the railway bridge and prepare their defenses at the Indo-Chinese frontiers and he thought this fact was appreciated by the Chungking Government.
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