800.014/3–2745: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Caffery)
1192. Please consult Bidault immediately regarding French participation in preliminary conversations on trusteeship questions to be conducted within the terms of reference agreed on at Yalta, namely, that only machinery and principles should be formulated now for inclusion in San Francisco Charter leaving for subsequent agreement which territories within the specified categories will actually be placed under trusteeship but that no discussion of specific territories will take place during preliminary conversations or at the Conference.
[Page 161]Departments hope is that the preliminary conversations with five governments participating, should be held in Washington early in April probably around the eighth.
You might make known that British, Soviet, and Chinese have indicated readiness to participate; British sending Under Secretary for Colonics,38 and Chinese sending Wellington Koo. Soviet representatives undetermined.
Should French Government raise question referred to in your despatch no. 114839 to effect that it feels unable to take position before having complete information on nature and methods of application of proposed trusteeship system you might reply that it is precisely this question which is the subject for consideration at the preliminary conversations.40 We hope have papers ready shortly prior to conversations and understand British may also.
- Sir George Henry Gater, Permanent Under Secretary of State for Colonies; lie did not, however, attend the Conference as planned at that time.↩
- Dated February 26, not printed; see telegram 780, February 25, 9 p.m. to Paris, p. 91.↩
- Telegram 1584, March 31, 7 p.m., from Paris, reported that the French Government would participate in these preliminary conversations and that Paul-Emile Naggiar would be the French representative (800.014/3–3145).↩