110.11–AC/11–3050: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Secretary of State
priority
3066. Eyes only for the Secretary from Bruce. I delivered your letter embodied Deptel 2987 to Schuman this morning. He read it carefully, said to express his personal appreciation to you for its tone and comments. He particularly considered your references European integration most helpful in connection conversations he is now having with other members government.
[Page 499]He said that he had discussed the Spofford proposals for several hours last night with Alphand and that he would meet Pleven at 4 o’clock today on this subject.
I talked to him frankly along the lines suggested in London’s Depto 239, November 29. He said that our proposal still posed certain difficulties for the French Government but that our points of view appear to be so close that he was optimistic about resolving the remaining difficulties. He was careful to add, however, that he was expressing only his personal points of view and would send an answer to you tomorrow morning after he had seen Pleven and possibly other members of the Cabinet.
He asked me to express a personal opinion as to whether these proposals represented the final decision of the American Government on this matter. I told him that in my opinion they substantially did so and that there was no room left for bargaining as far as principle and substance were concerned. He said that was his impression as well and he would treat them in this spirit. He also said that from all that had been reported to him he had derived the most favorable impression of the fairness and skill as well as desire to accomplish a satisfactory result exhibited by Spofford throughout these negotiations.
Sent Department 3066, repeated info niact London eyes only for Spofford and Holmes 742, Frankfort eyes only for McCloy 347.