Kuala Lumpur, 20 February 1963
134. Secret
Malaysia
My Savingram 9.1
I am concerned about continued reports of proposed meeting of Malaya, Indonesia and Philippines to discuss Malaysia. Such a meeting could hardly fail to damage Federation’s position.
(a) It could give respectability to Philippines and Indonesian opposition to Malaysia.
(b) It could encourage United Nations interest in Malaysia before August 31st.
(c) Philippines and Indonesia would be bound to use conference to argue for postponement of Malaysia and Malaya’s refusal could only worsen relations with the other two Governments.
2. Malayans might find it difficult to refuse categorically to attend such a meeting but I should like your approval to encourage them to avoid it. A.S.A.2 meeting in Manila (my telegram 132)3 could be useful in this respect.
[NAA: A1838, 3006/4/7 part 5]
1 20 February, reporting a discussion between Critchley and Baldwin, US Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, on details of an informal meeting in Singapore between Baldwin and the American ambassadors from Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok that had just concluded. Main topics had been the need for restraint on the Tunku’s part towards Indonesia and the ambassadors’ view that an international meeting of Southeast Asian governments might improve the situation developing within the region. Critchley reported his disagreement with the latter proposal, although he thought bilateral talks would be useful.
2 Association of Southeast Asia�a regional, Asian grouping of nations launched by the Philippines, Malaya and Thailand in 1961, which concentrated on cultural and economic co-operation.
3 20 February, in which Critchley reported that the Tunku would participate in the ASA conference to take place in Manila sometime mid-late March. The Malayans intended to use the conference ‘to win over the Philippines’.