Ceylon, 11 September 1950
37. SECRET
Your telegram 118.2
We agree that the United States Government should be kept fully informed of proceedings of the Consultative Committee and subsequent meetings and that the best way of doing this would be by arranging for a special Liaison Officer from the United States to be in attendance in London during the conference.
2. As regards keeping the French and Dutch Governments informed we feel that the two should not be placed in the same category. Indonesia is now an independent Republic recognised as such by all Commonwealth Governments. The Dutch cannot any longer be said to have interests in Indonesia and we cannot, therefore, see any reason for keeping the Dutch in the picture as far as the London Conference goes. The French position in Indo-China is on the other hand different. Some Commonwealth Governments, including Ceylon, have declined to recognise the States of Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam because they were not satisfied that these States were in fact independent and free of French influence. The fact that the French are still fighting an anti communist war in which we are all interested and continue to have considerable interest in the defence of Indo-China inclines us to the view that it would be justifiable and desirable to keep them informed of developments in the Consultative Committee insofar as Indo-China is concerned. Any other view would appear to be unrealistic and would, in fact, contradict the stand taken by those Commonwealth Governments that have not recognised the States of Indo-China for the reason that these States are not independent of the French.
3. (To CROSEC only).
Please pass copy to Ceylon High Commissioner in London.
[NAA: A9879, 2202B]
1 The cablegram was addressed to the UK Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and to the Governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and Pakistan.
2 Document 88.