VII.
-J-
U.S.I.S. production centre now is · should be decided upon by the Americans, it would be desirable from our point of view for a high- powered liaison officer to be appointed to Singapore.
38.
Mrs. Barraclough (Rangoon) said that personal relations with U.S.I.S. officers were excellent, but that she felt that co-operation was rather one-sided, in that we appeared to be contributing more to it than the Americans. The U.S. staff, however, were new and time might redress the balance. Meanwhile it was important that the Burmese should not gain the impression that we were running after the Americans.
39.
Mr. Pakenham (Djakarta) described the large U.S.I.S. machine in Indonesia. Their most effective work was in the field of cultural publicity; they were disappointed with the lack of result they had obtained in their political publicity work.
40.
Mr. Rivett-Carnac (Bangkok) said that in Siam the British Information Services carried as much weight as the Americans. Integration of effort in combined operations and with avoidance of overlapping has already been carried a long way.
41.
Mr. Swan (Saigon) said that he had established close personal co-operation with the large U.S.I.S. office, In the political sphere the Americans were trying to support the Aid programme and had a special information officer attached to the E. C.A. Office.
Tripartite Co-operation in regard to publicity about Indo-China.
42.
The Chairman said that the French were anxious to enlist our support in an effort to persuade the Governments of the rest of Asia in particular India - to take a more favourable view of French policy in Indo-China and to appreciate the French intention to give the maximum degree of independence to the three Associate States. Our difficulty so far has been to get evidence from the French that it was in fact their intention to do this within a measurable time. An unfortunate impression had been created by the prolongation of the Pau Conference, but the statement made by M. Letourneau on its conclusion and the evidence of the formation of national a rmies might be of assistance. There were already signs of a slight modification of the Indian view.
43.
Mr. Rayner said that we had been asked for help in getting a better press in Singapore and South East Asia for Vietnam. The failure of the French to provide material or machinery on their own behalf had increased the difficulties. We would have better results by attacking Vietminh and perhaps building up Vietnam than by defending the French,
/44.......
•