396.1 GE/5–2954: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Delegation1

secret

Tosec 302. Reference Tosec 2882 and Dulte 131.3 While the line of reasoning adopted is similar in both referenced telegrams, I believe, as indicated in Tosec 288, that our initial position with reference to a supervisory organization should provide for the inclusion of Thailand. If Indonesia were included we should insist also on the Philippines.

I see no objection to agreeing that the Asian members of a control commission might invite a non-Asian state to join them. However I believe it might be offensive to the Asian members of a control commission if it were stipulated that they must include in their membership a non-Asian state, particularly a European nation. This would suggest to them that we have no confidence in their reliability unless buttressed [Page 970] by non-Asian support. Accordingly, I feel that for the time being we should neither make nor support a recommendation that a non-Asian state be included in a military control commission for Indochina.

Murphy
  1. Drafted by Sturm of FE/PSA.
  2. Dated May 28, p. 966.
  3. Dated May 28, p. 963.