500.CC/3–845: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Caffery)25
924. Question: Reports from Paris indicate that the United States Government did not make clear to the Provisional Government of the French Republic the basis upon which it was conducting with France the consultations in connection with the Provisional Government’s joining the other four Governments in sponsoring the San Francisco Conference. Could the Department of State throw any light upon the facts as related in this report?
Answer: Following the Crimea Conference, when Ambassador Caffery on February 12 presented the invitation to the Provisional Government to join in sponsoring the San Francisco Conference it was made clear that the United States Government was authorized to extend the invitation on behalf of itself and the British and Soviet Governments. The French reply—which was received almost two weeks later—was immediately transmitted by the United States Government to the other sponsoring Governments, including China, which had already stated its acceptance.
The Provisional Government was at that time informed by Ambassador Caffery that it was necessary for the United States Government to request the views of the other sponsoring nations with regard to the conditions laid down by the Provisional Government. During the ensuing days Ambassador Caffery continued to keep the French Foreign Office fully informed concerning the progress of the consultations.
- Repeated on the same date as telegrams 1769 to London, 531 to Moscow, and 395 to Chungking.↩