741.92/10–645
The British Embassy to the Department of State 90
Aide-Mémoire
In a sincere endeavour to bring their views into harmony with those of the United States Government, His Majesty’s Government decided to amend in certain respects the conditions on which they were prepared to liquidate the state of war between themselves and the Siamese Government. These amendments, together with His Majesty’s Government’s observations on certain other points raised in the State Department’s memorandum of September 19th, were communicated to the State Department in His Majesty’s Embassy’s memorandum of September 27th.91 The Embassy’s memorandum did not of course refer to the State Department’s further memorandum of September 26th, which was not received in time to permit its consideration before despatch of instructions to His Majesty’s Embassy.
His Majesty’s Government have now studied the State Department’s memorandum of September 26th, on which they desire to express the following views:
As His Majesty’s Embassy have already indicated to the State Department,92 the object of clause C 1 of the Heads of the Agreement is to make it easier to negotiate a regional scheme for defence in a world organisation by warning the Siamese that they will in future be expected to play their part in defence schemes for areas specified. The text suggested by the State Department in paragraph 6 of its Aide-Mémoire would be a natural development of this idea and His Majesty’s Government are ready to embody the substance of it in their Heads of the Agreement with the Siamese Government as a corollary of, though not in place of, clause C 1. In view of the special concern of Great Britain with the security of British territories and of sea routes adjacent to Siam, His Majesty’s Government think it important to have on record this recognition by the Siamese Government of the importance of Siam to the defence of those territories and sea routes. They would propose therefore to retain clause C 1 unaltered, but to replace clause C 2 by a new clause to read as follows: “Agree to collaborate fully in all international security arrangements approved by the United Nations Organisation or its Security Council which may be pertinent to Siam and especially such international security arrangements as may relate to countries or areas specified in the preceding clause.”
[Page 1352]It is hoped that the explanation and assurances given in paragraph 17 of the Embassy’s memorandum of September 27th will have gone far to remove the objection which the United States Government originally felt to clause 4 Section D of the Heads of Agreement.
As regards clause 4 of the Annex, His Majesty’s Government feel unable to modify the views expressed in paragraph 13 of the Embassy’s memorandum of September 27th. The United States Government will appreciate that their insistence on this point is not due to any concern for British interests, which are already fully protected under clause 3 of Section B of the Heads of Agreement, but solely to a sense of their responsibility vis-à-vis their allies.
As regards the limitations of clauses 11 and 14, His Majesty’s Government intend to limit the extent as well as the duration of these clauses to the purposes set out therein, but they would prefer not to modify the wording of the clauses since to do so might lead Siam to suppose that this would make more difference in practice than His Majesty’s Government think in fact it will.
While in the view of His Majesty’s Government the question of a Military Mission is not one which can necessarily be left to Siam’s initiative, they are prepared to omit clause 13 of the Annex from the terms now to be accepted by Siam and to treat the matter as one for subsequent negotiation with the Siamese Government.
As regards clauses 15 and 16 B of the Annex, His Majesty’s Government are still considering the precise terms of paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Annex to the State Department’s memorandum of September 1st.
His Majesty’s Government hope that the explanations given in paragraphs 2 to 7 of the Embassy’s memorandum of September 27th will have served to allay any United States anxiety that a free contribution of Siamese rice might interfere with or delay procurement and distribution, in accordance with the Combined Food Board’s allocations, of rice for the United States and other countries, whether or not they may wish or be entitled to participate in free rice.