500.CC/2–1145
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The French Ambassador12 called at my house at my request this Sunday evening at 10:30 and I read to him, for his information, the telegram being sent this evening to Ambassador Caffery (No. 546, February 11, 11 p.m.) setting forth plans for the United Nations Conference. I emphasized to the Ambassador the great urgency of the matter and expressed the hope that he might feel like sending a flash telegram to his Government urging that a reply be given to us [Page 69] at the earliest possible moment. I pointed out that after the communiqué agreed upon by the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union is issued on Tuesday morning, February 13, there will be great speculation in the press with regard to the details of the agreement on voting procedure in the Security Council. We therefore hoped that our consultation with the Provisional Government of France could be carried through with the greatest possible dispatch.
The Ambassador asked me several questions regarding certain points in our communication which I clarified for him and he then expressed serious doubt as to whether a reply from his Government could be forthcoming within several days. He said that the question of voting in the Security Council, as well as other points, would have to be submitted to the Council of Ministers in Paris and that this would take time. It was also pointed out that according to press reports General de Gaulle,13 was absent from Paris. Mr. Bonnet also pointed out the adverse feeling on the part of his Government which had been aroused by the fact that General de Gaulle had not received an invitation to attend the Big Three Conference.
I once again urged the Ambassador to do his best to ensure our receiving a reply from his Government at the earliest possible moment.