840.00/6–1647: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
2378. Bidault tells me that he is not too happy about Bevin coming here at this juncture because his visit is being interpreted here as a desire on Bevin’s part to steal the show. (The truth of the matter is that Bidault wanted to steal the show and Bevin beat him by a day or [Page 256] two.) Also he does not want to give the impression to small nations in Europe that a Franco–British condominium is out to dominate western Europe. Nevertheless, he will work enthusiastically and wholeheartedly with Bevin and ardently hopes that they can come to an agreement as to the approach to be made to Washington. However, he would prefer that France and Great Britain make their approaches separately even if they say the same words.
Bidault showed me a telegram he sent to his Ambassador at Moscow instructing him to inform the Soviet Government that conversations would soon be under way between Paris and London in regard to the Secretary’s Harvard speech and that conversations are now under way between Paris and Washington (Bonnet’s conversation Saturday with the Secretary). He instructed his Ambassador to tell the Soviet Government also that he would be “disposed” to enter into conversations at Moscow on the same subject if Moscow so desired.
Sent Department 2378, repeated Moscow 373, and London 451.