Record of Conversation between Premier Zhou Enlai and General Ne Win

Document Serial No. 50

Destroy after reading

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Document

Classification: Secret

Within the Ministry share to commissioner grade level and above

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office issued on January 28, 1961.

Record of Conversation: Premier Zhou Enlai and General Ne Win

Time: On the morning of January 5, 1961 (before trip to Maoming)

Location: Yangon Myanmar Presidential Palace

Interpreter and Notetaker: Cheng Ruisheng

Premier: Do you have any news?

Ne Win: No.

Premier: What is the news from Thailand?

Ne Win: A few days ago, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization meeting held a meeting. The U.S. intervention in Laos has developed from being secret to being an open one now.

Premier: There are also differences among the countries of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.

Ne Win: Yes, there are differences. However, in the past during the Korean War, these allies still followed the United States despite their differences.

Premier: The United States still interferes indirectly.

Ne Win: And the US fleet has been active on the sea near Indochina. There are Marines on board the warships. We can't relax our vigilance.

Premier: The assistance provided by the Soviet Union and Vietnam to the Souvanna Phouma government was indirect assistance. The United States and Thailand not only assisted the Boun Oum government, but also directly sent in troops, which is completely indefensible. The United States must consider that if it sends troops on a large scale, a direct conflict could break out between the United States and the Soviet Union. On January 1, Sihanouk proposed holding an enlarged conference in Geneva with 14 countries invited. Souvanna Phouma is in Phnom Penh. He also favors attending this meeting. We think Sihanouk’s proposal is very good. We are opposed to submitting the Lao issue to the United Nations and to a United Nations intervention.

Ne Win: This is what I wanted to say to you.

Premier: What is going on in Thailand?

Ne Win: More than eight months ago, Thailand supported an attack on us by the Karens. Two months ago, Thailand again supported a Karen attack on us.

Premier: You can expose these activities by Thailand.

Ne Win: We have not done this yet because most Thais are friendly to Burma. There are only a few upper-level elements who are unfriendly. We have to take care to keep the friendship of the majority of the Thai people. However, if Thailand continues to engage in these unfriendly activities, we expose them.

Cc: Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Li Fuchun, He Long, Lu Dingyi, Jia Xiang, Yang Shangkun, Qiao Mu, Luo Ruiqing, Kongyuan, Li Tao (2), Central Committee Foreign Affairs Office (5), CC Propaganda Department (2), CC International Liaison Department (5 ), CC investigation (4), Military Intelligence (2), General Staff Department

Chen, Zhang, Luo, Ji, Zeng, Yi, Meng, Qiao, Liu, General Office (3), Suou, Yiya (2), Erya, Western Europe, US and Australia, International Division, Information Department, Protocol, Ambassador (3), Archive 3 copies, 60 copies in total

Received on January 25, 1961

Printed on January 27, 1961