Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part V. B. 3. a.djvu/176

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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

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the United States to provide the bulk of this support. However, the United States military representatives, while recognizing the need for land reinforcements hold that the subject of deterrent action was outside the terms of reference.

At a meeting of military representatives the Commanders in Chief of the five power on April 6 at Honolulu the representatives agreed on measures for coordinating individual plans of each of the five countries for action in the event of Chinese Communist aggression in Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong and Formosa, and for undertaking special planning studies. The representatives of the United States have not been authorized to participate in development of a combined plan. The representatives agreed that they should meet and exchange information on an on-call need-to-know basis and that they would appoint representatives to maintain continuing liaison. It was agreed that no formal organisation or secretariat should be set up and that representatives should meet at different places in the area according to the need.

(7e) At the military conversations in October referred to above the forces that would be required for a naval blockade and the probable effectiveness and possible consequences of blockade measures were studied. Agreement with the United Kingdom and France that a naval blockade should be included in the minimum courses of action in the event of Chinese Communist intervention has not been reached.

(7f) To encourage cooperation among Southeast Asian countries and between these countries and the West the United States has continued to support the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE), the regional office of the International Labor Organization, the regional organization of the World Health Organisation; the Rice Consultative Committee, the Rubber Study Group, and the Consultative Committee of the Colombo Plan.

(7g) Although it is the policy set forth in the paper to strengthen covert operations designed to assist in the achievement of the objectives in Southeast Asia, it is not believed that this is the place for comment on progress in this regard.

(7h) Chinese language officers assigned ta posts in Southeast Asia have developed contacts with influential Chinese, including editors and business leaders and assisted in distribution of USIS Chinese language publications to key individuals and organizations of the Chinese community. These activities have assisted in countering Communist propaganda an encouraging influential leaders in Chinese communities who have opposed, often successfully, extension of the power of Chinese Communists in organisations of the Chinese community.

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(7i) The