740.00119 Council/6–2246: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Acting Secretary of State

secret

3044. Discussing the present meeting of the Foreign Ministers, Chauvel believes that the key to the success or failure of the Foreign Ministers’ meeting depends on finding a solution to the Trieste problem, and added that the French had several indirect indications that, in the final analysis, the Soviets might agree to some form of internationalization. He believes that one reason the Soviets wish to give Trieste to Yugoslavs is further to encircle Austria and prevent it from having a channel for trade with the outside world which is not controlled indirectly by Moscow. He mentioned Soviet refusal to open up [Page 583] the Danube in this connection. He made the vague and somewhat unrelated observation that, if agreement on Trieste should be reached, he felt that the Russians might be more disposed to go more deeply into the German question, but expressed doubt that even in this event the Soviets would agree to a really serious discussion of Germany. He believes that they will insist on Potsdam being implemented according to their own interpretation before other German questions can be raised. He said that Bogomolov had taken this line here just before the Conference [reftel 2888?], June 14 [15], and that Catroux had been handed a similar line in Moscow.

In conclusion, he stated that the French had the distinct impression that the Russians are in no hurry to reach agreement at this time on the various problems relating to Italy, the Balkans, Germany and Austria with which the Foreign Ministers are trying to deal.

Caffery