840.811/7–3148: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Cannon) to the Secretary of State
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Deldu 17. Toward midnight I contrived to get together British delegation and two senior members of French delegation and local French Ambassador Payart who thought not in delegation is their chief adviser. Both delegations are almost in state of panic as result of Vyshinski’s statement mentioned in second paragraph my preceding telegram.1
British delegation [delegate?] is fighting mad and wants to enter tomorrow’s meeting determined to protest or disagree “in strongest [Page 638] terms as a matter of general counter-offensive without worrying much about his grounds for objection and without thinking much about eventual substitute proposals.
French had practically reached decision to take the floor at earliest opportunity, make general statement of position with emphasis on French reservations, then depending on reception accorded their statement, they would decide whether to leave the conference.
I hope I have persuaded both delegations that today’s flurry was surprising only in that it came so early in ceremonial opening session and that they must by no means allow themselves to be maneuvered into a break or that Soviet propaganda can plausibly present to the world as a procedural quarrel on a vague distinction between working and official languages. I proposed instead that we persist in working into substance of conference problems and all of us make policy statements including the Austrians and if necessary begin study of draft convention Soviets are expected to table. I proposed to British they consider tabling their summary draft (see paragraph 5 Deldu 2, July 23 from Paris)2 as auxiliary working paper to Soviet draft and said we would not put in US draft as single document but bit by bit would bring it forward either as alternative articles or as amendments. This should carry us along until record would clearly show that if would clearly show that if break must come it would be on solid grounds of substance and principle.
Both delegations cheered up somewhat and we expect to have further exchanges with them before meeting and hope to get through session on line that firm and detailed policy statements will give us time for more constructive and less emotional study of position and strategy. Have also proposed we avoid making issue of minor points in rules of procedure which may come up for discussion and consume part of session.