740.00119 Council/4–946: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
urgent niact
[Received April 9—1:21 p.m.]
1691. For the Secretary. Following is translation of French reply dated April 9 to your message suggesting a meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Paris. (Dept’s 1537, April 4.)68
[Page 47]Mr. Ambassador: On April 5 Your Excellency was good enough to communicate to me a message from the Secretary of State proposing a meeting in Paris on April 25 of the Council of Foreign Ministers prior to the conference which is to be held the first of May to elaborate the peace treaties.
Furthermore, Mr. Byrnes suggested that instructions be sent by each of the Foreign Ministers to their delegates at London charged with the preparation of the draft treaties with a view to accelerating the progress of their work, leaving to the Council of the Four Foreign Ministers the task of finding solutions for questions on which agreement was not reached.
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the French Govt accepts the above proposition of the Secretary of State and is disposed, for its part, to follow the envisaged procedure. It (the French Govt) holds itself ready furthermore to address an invitation to the govts participating in the Council.
Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurances of my highest consideration. Signed: Bidault.