433. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos0
502. For Ambassadors Unger and Young. Laos situation reviewed at meeting with the President Nov. 8.1 Lao internal politics discussed together with US assistance programs. It was emphasized that our efforts are and will continue to be directed toward full support of Souvanna but if coalition fails we must try to assure Souvanna and true neutrals will be on our side and responsibility for collapse Geneva Agreements clearly on PL. President does not understand how arrest incident could have occurred and desires Amb Unger continue to emphasize to Phoumi that he must sincerely and practically cooperate with Souvanna to assure a wide non-communist front, not just the Phoumi Savannakhet faction. Phoumi must understand that if a break-up of coalition does occur U.S. and international opinion will hold him responsible if Souvanna has not been adequately supported by Phoumi’s faction. If break occurs U.S. could not support Phoumi alone. Particularly disturbed that Phoumi unwilling to work with French military. Is Phoumi preventing French technicians sent out to replace ECCOIL from being used?
To what extent are you in contact with neutralists in Vientiane in effort convince them of need to resist PL pressures and work for non-communist objectives of independence? Do you need additional assistance for such purposes? (see septel concerning assistance to neutralist military forces2).
For Bangkok: Desire that Amb Young take appropriate opportunity to emphasize again to Sarit for him to continue to counsel Phoumi to cooperate with Souvanna. Sarit’s influence with Phoumi is indispensable in this respect.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/11–962. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Koren, cleared by Cross and with Forrestal in substance, and approved by Harriman. Also sent to Bangkok and repeated to Saigon, Phnom Penh, Paris, London, and CINCPAC.↩
- See Document 432.↩
- Document 434.↩