840.50 Recovery/7–1047: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
urgent
2744. Couve de Murville has just given me latest information on replies to invitation to the July 12 conference.
The following countries have accepted unconditionally: Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Austria, Switzerland. (Switzerland in accepting stated that it accepted on understanding that conference would not deal with political matters).
Czechoslovakia will be represented at the conference by Czech Ambassador in Paris but Czechs have informed French they will reserve final decision on participation until they know more about scope of plan.
French have now been informed that Sweden, Norway and Denmark will officially accept some time today.
[Page 317]No reply has been received from Finland but French still believe there is possibility that Finland may give a limited acceptance similar to Czechs.
No reply has been received from Poland, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary. In view of radio broadcasts from capitals of these countries, French consider their refusal although not yet officially announced is definite. Couve says that conference will convene probably at 11 Saturday morning. Bidault will preside. Conference will then proceed to elect president. Since conference is in Paris French candidate for presidency is Bevin and French and British are in agreement on this.
Couve says decision on composition of various subcommittees would probably take several days and he thinks this may possibly not be completed until July 15. French are strongly opposed to idea that all 17 participating countries be represented on each subcommittee. They take stand that the larger the subcommittees the more unwieldy they become and agreement is also more difficult.
French are very pleased over acceptance of Scandinavian countries not so much for economic reasons but because this broadens political and psychological composition of conference.
Sent Department; repeated London as 525, Moscow as 413, and Rome as 164.