Office of the Historian

501.BB/8–1648: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France

secret
us urgent
Washington, August 16, 1948—7 p. m.

3142. Dept is concerned over situation developing re President of forthcoming GA. For your own info we have felt that, in view of location of next GA, it would be appropriate for President to be a suitable French representative or else a Western European fluent in French. Inquiries of French UNDel have not produced any firm info re question whether French desire post.

Pls ascertain urgently from FonOff (1) whether French interested; (2) if so, who will head French Del; and (3) if not, whether French would be inclined to support Bech (Luxembourg) as suitable Western European candidate.1

Marshall
  1. In telegram 4280, August 18, the Ambassador in France (Caffery) replied: “I discussed with Schuman (Robert Schuman, French Minister of Foreign Affairs) this evening the matter of the president of the forthcoming GA (Deptel 3142, August 16). Schuman said that he preferred not to have a French president. He personally would warmly welcome Bech but would have to talk the matter over with his associates in the government.” (501.BB/8–1848)↩