Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Ceylon Sir Claude Corea, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, and Donald Kennedy

or 34 SECURITY INFORMATION 5/5 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 513 232 Memorandum of Conversation BATE:7/21/52 Corf SUBJECT: Presentation of credentials from the Queen by Ambassador Corea; discussion of Ceylon's need for rice, interest in a rubber contract, and desire for technical assistance. PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary Sir Claude Corea, Ambassador of Ceylon Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, Minister of Food and Agriculture, Ceylon Ur. Donald D. Kennedy, SOA COPIES TO: NEA E TCA S/MSA DRN Embassy Ceylon u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Ambassador Corea handed me his new credentials from the Queen. I expressed my great pleasure at seeing him again after his long illness and extended my congratulations on his having received a Knighthood on the recent honors list. Sir Oliver Goonetilleke explained that one of the first things his Prime Minister had decided upon after the elections had been successfully concluded was that he, Sir Oliver, should come to America to scuss and work out, if possible, certain matters of great interest to Ceylon. The first and most immediate question was the obtaining of rice. He had already seen the Secretary of Agriculture and further discussions were to be held tomorrow; he had discussed the matter of financing in London and had been given $37 million, converted from sterling, for the purchase of rice and believed that help would be available this year for current needs. In addition, however, he wished to obtain some forward assurances for a period of two or three years, and this still had to be wo rked out. On rubber, he would like to discuss a possible contract for the procurement by the US of Ceylonese rubber. Conversations had taken place on this some months ago, but they had had to be terminated at the death of the late Prime Minister, Don Stephen Senanayake. Sir Oliver said that the third important question was the matter of technical assistance. He would like to see what agreement could be developed. He hoped that he could find out what was possible on these three important subjects so that his Government could make an overall decision on what to do. I DECLASSIFIED SECURITY INFORMATION E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, 10-76-26 By NLT. HC NARS Date 11-29-76