663.001/11–2051: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Acting Secretary of State 1
priority
3030. Austrian treaty strategy was also discussed during lunch of Secretary and Schuman today, and we advanced suggestion that when deputies meet the question might simply be put to Soviets whether they wld or wld not be prepared to sign treaty on their own terms.
First step at deputies’ meeting under this procedure wld be simple question to Soviets whether there are any new developments in their position. Second wld be question to them as above, and if their reply as expected turns out to be ambiguous or negative because of extraneous matters, we wld proceed to adjourn the meeting and then eventually to submit abbreviated treaty.
French showed themselves interested in the idea. We realize of course that Soviet wld in all likelihood counter with question whether we on our part wld be prepared to sign treaty on their [Page 1176] terms, but this question shld be met with insistence on our part that they themselves give unequivocal reply to question put to them.
Dept’s comments on above requested.
- Repeated to London, Vienna, and Bonn for Reber.↩