740.00119 Council/9–745: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:04 p.m.]
5357. 1. Bidault28 tells me that he is leaving tomorrow for London. He remarked that the French attitude at this juncture in connection with Italy is more benevolent than that of the Soviets or “even of Great Britain”. He said that (as trusteeship would involve the Soviet) France would like to see Italian colonies returned to Italy and that France sympathizes with Italy in regard to the Trieste difficulty. He added, however, that France will ask for a minor frontier rectification.
2. He said that (having in mind the London meeting) he fully realizes France’s present world position. France has no military or economic force to speak of. France must rely upon justice, equity and fair, play.
3. He will take Couve de Murville29 with him as deputy and leave him there when he returns to Paris. He does not want to be absent from France more than a few weeks. He added that when Couve de Murville returns here he will take de Jean’s30 place at the Quai d’Orsay.
4. He said that after his return to Paris he and de Gaulle31 will make a trip to Brussels.
[Page 110]Sent Dept as 5357, repeated London for the Secretary32 as 656, Moscow as 315, Brussels as 96 and Rome as 185.
- Georges Bidault, French Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Maurice Couve de Murville, former French delegate to the Advisory Council for Italy and French representative to the Italian Government; from September 7, 1945, Director General in Charge of Political Affairs of the French Foreign Ministry.↩
- Maurice de Jean, Director General in Charge of Political Affairs of the French Foreign Office; from September 7, 1945, Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.↩
- Gen. Charles de Gaulle, President of the Council of Ministers of the Provisional Government of the French Republic.↩
- The Secretary sailed from New York for London on September 5, 1945.↩