396.1 GE/7–1854: Telegram

The United States Delegation to the Department of State

secret

Secto 645. Caccia has told us of conversation he had with Li K’Nung [Ko-nung] this morning. Later [latter] made strong statement to effect that Indochinese states must not be allowed to become members of any alliances and that acts of conference must not permit this. Caccia said he replied by saying that if an agreement were reached which UK liked and if agreement provided that military alliances were not acceptable then UK would not spend spare time trying to force Indochinese states into Southeast Asian pact.

On subject of Laos, Caccia told Li that Viet Minh were still demanding half of country. This was out of all reason and would jeopardize conference. Li said his Prime Minister thought a single regroupment area along NE frontier was best solution. It would, of course, remain under Laotian sovereignty and would be preferable to series of smaller areas.

Re election dates Li said it was important to make clear to people of Vietnam that conference was not fooling. This could only be done by setting specific date. When Caccia pointed out to him that India and Burma had taken from two to three years to hold elections and that Communist China apparently had problems in this connection, Li said that two or three years is a definite date and much preferable to an indefinite formula.

Smith