Cablegram, Washington, 3 August 1950
622. CONFIDENTIAL
Brown, accompanied by members of the Embassy Staff, today called on Rusk at his invitation for informal conversation about the Far East. Brown informed the Ambassador before the visit as he felt that the invitation could be a source of embarrassment but did not consider he could politely refuse. Brown made no comments on matters of policy but the visit did provide the opportunity for most useful conversation. Rusk had with him directors of the offices of the Far Eastern Bureau. Rusk observed at the beginning that the meeting had been arranged at his suggestion with a view to giving a survey of Far Eastern developments and answering any questions.
2. Following is a summary of his comments:
[matter omitted]
(c) Pacific Pact. Rusk opened this subject by saying that the Department’s views were very fluid and that they would be willing to exchange ideas with a view to examining various problems, which arose from the negotiation of the pact, such as who would be members. He referred to danger of countries in the Middle East and on the Asiatic mainland feeling left out if the pact was negotiated simply amongst Pacific Ocean countries. There was perhaps a need for a chain of regional pacts based on global plan. He stressed that the United States would not take the initiative with regard to the pact, that they would not wish an exclusively ‘white’ association and regarded participation of Asiatics as essential. He did not express any view as to what country, if any, should take the initiative in negotiating the pact.
[matter omitted]
3. After the meeting Brown expressed to us his personal view that Rusk’s remarks about the Pacific Pact indicated that he doubted the practicability or value of such a project. This appears to us to be a reasonable deduction from [the] conversation.
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[NAA : A1838, 250/7/10, i]