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ANNEX II.

+

259

DRAFT TELEGRAM TO

GOVERNOR OF BURMA REPEATED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

Your Telegram 20 December No. 1102,

INDIA.

Action of the kind you refer to is covered by sub-para (b) in para 2 of Foreign Office Telegram of 17 December No. 2425.

It is desirable to avoid any serious engagement with Thai forces except as may be necessary for military reasons in accordance with the policy laid down in para 2 of that Telegram, but there is no objection to G.0.0. having discretion to deal with Thai bodies who are actively assisting Japanese forces or preventing our forces from obtaining information regarding the latter,

ANNEX III,

2.

RELEVANT EXTRACT FROM F.O. TELEGRAM 2425.

Until the situation is clearer we are inclined to consider it premature to declare that a state of war exists with Thailand. We intend however to attack Japanese forces wherever we find them, and since they are in occupation of Thailand we shall not hesitate to operate in or over that country and its territorial waters if it were desirable for military reasons to do so. We think therefore that our policy should be as follows:

J.

(a) our forces should take no unprovoked action

against the Thais, but

(b) if the Thais attempt to obstruct the

operations of our troops or if in the opinion of local Commanders the presence of Thai forces constitutes a threat to their security they should be treated as enemies and

(c) that if any concentration of Thai forces

indicates the possibility of a threat to the securiLoy of Burina the Thai Government should be warned that such action will be regarded as a hostile act.

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