663.001/11–1751: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Acting Secretary of State 1
2963. Embtel 2895, Nov 15 rptd London 771, Vienna 88, Frankfort, Moscow unnumbered.2 FonOff has given us aide-mémoire re Aust treaty strategy,3 which represents definitive Fr position arrived at after renewed discussion with Schuman. As Dept will note, this position involves considerable backtracking from that which was communicated to us orally per Embtel 2882, Nov 14 rptd [Page 1171] London 766, Vienna 86, Moscow Frankfort unnumbered4 and understood by Brit FonOff (London 2365 to Dept Nov 15, rptd Vienna 107, Bonn 57, Moscow unnumbered5). This backtracking is admitted by FonOff, not without embarrassment.Aide-mémoire definitely supersedes earlier indications of Fr position and has Schuman’s personal approval. Free translation follows:
Begin translation. Fr Govt, having again considered US suggestions re draft abbreviated Aust treaty, continues to believe that its submission at next deputies mtg wld not only yield no tactical advantages, but might on contrary prove advantageous to Sov propaganda.
Transmission of abbreviated draft to Moscow on occasion of approach after failure of deps wld have same disadvantages and wld in effect lead to breakdown of negots.
In these conditions, Fr Govt, which remains anxious to avoid any move which might provoke, sooner or later, the break-up of quadripartite arrangements and the division of Aust, wld agree if necessary, that Kremlin be informed that in view systematic Sov obstruction, west powers wld be led to reconsider concessions previously made to Sovs in hope of, through those concessions, bring about conclusion of treaty.
Such a statement wld be sufficient to restore freedom of action to west powers without at same time sweeping away all previous negots in manner which wld run risk of being misunderstood by Aust public opinion.
Fr Govt also believes that exact terms and phraseology of this communication shld at appropriate time be subject of further conference of west allies, on highest level, in order determine particular concessions which it wld be advisable to withdraw.
Furthermore, Fr govt believes approach to Moscow along above lines wld be better understood by public opinion if preceded by deps mtg at which, in accordance with Wash FonMins communiqué, west reps had made resolute effort to reach agreement on present draft in which, as was recalled in State Dept’s communiqué of Nov 12, there remain (sic) only few points essential for a settlement. End translation.
In handing us this aide-mémoire, Latournelle acknowledged that it represented considerable retreat from position earlier orally communicated to us. He expressed view that deps mtg shld be held by end of Nov and did not feel it essential to have prior agreement now on tactics to be followed after anticipated unsuccessful deps mtg. He suggested possibility of establishing tripartite negotiating group at expert level to work out position. In reply to question, he expressed view that our abbreviated treaty draft was in fact reflection [Page 1172] of concessions which Sovs might be informed wld be subject to withdrawal. He added that he personally thought consideration might be given to presentation of abbreviated treaty draft in course of second Moscow démarche to follow démarche in course of which withdrawal of concessions was foreshadowed.
We expect that Secy will have occasion discuss Aust treaty with Schuman Nov 21. Gruber is arriving Paris Nov 19 for OEEC mtg and has through Aust Leg here made urgent request for interview with Secy.
- Repeated to London, Vienna, Bonn, Moscow, and Frankfurt.↩
- Telegram 2895 warned the Department of State that the French position on the abbreviated treaty was being reconsidered and might be modified. (663.001/11–1451)↩
- The original text of the French aide-mémoire was transmitted to the Department of State in despatch 1353 from Paris, November 20. (663.001/11–2051)↩
- Telegram 2882 first noted French acceptance of the abbreviated treaty as a tactic to be used following the expected failure of the next meeting of the Treaty Deputies. (663.001/11–1451)↩
- Not printed.↩