Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

330.13/6–1152: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France ¹

confidential

Washington , June 11, 1952.

7301. For Dunn ² from Hickerson. Re Disarmament. Fol FYI as background material connection Deptels 7300 June 11 and 6459.³

On May 27 Jules Moch submitted to UK–US Dels DisarmCom redraft his suggested treaty attempting establish co-relationship between chief components disarmament program: atomic energy control, elimination mass destruction weapons, reduction armed forces and conventional weapons, disclosure and verification system. Present draft does not meet most of basic objections earlier draft. Moreover we consider any treaty on subj premature until we know substance components, which Moch has not suggested. Such treaty shld be final step both for components and their relationship, not first step as proposed by Moch. Even if treaty modified meet all our views, US cld not support until considerably greater progress achieved in developing entire program.

This comment and certain other general objections already conveyed to Moch by USRep DisarmCom, as informal rather than governmental views. Moch said draft was approved by Fr Govt; that he disagreed with our views re tactics and thought necessary introduce some paper on co-relation principal components; that he was anxious learn further US and UK views on treaty. These will be furnished. UKDel, alarmed by draft treaty, has suggested their FonOff ask Ambassador Paris tell Fr Govt treaty raises difficult and needlessly embarrassing problems, particularly re atomic energy; that is highly inadvisable submit treaty to DisarmCom.

Airgram follows containing text Moch draft and our principal objections.⁵

Acheson

1. Drafted by Meyers of UNP. The time of transmission is not legible on the source text.
2. James Clement Dunn, U.S. Ambassador in France.

3. Telegram 6459 to Paris, May 2, repeated for information to USUN as 414, presented the views of the Department concerning a draft treaty on disarmament which Jules Moch, the French Representative on the Disarmament Commission, had informally presented to Ambassador Cohen on Apr. 23. The draft was characterized by the Department as “almost completely objectionable” and “contrary to past positions of Fr as well as of US, i.e. treaty wld provide for prohibition of atomic weapons and cessation of manufacture before estab of effective controls of atomic energy.” (330.13/5–252)

   Telegram 7300 reads in part as follows:

   “Dept concerned that attitude and approach by Moch to work of Disarm Comm reflects apparent desire reach agreement on disarm plan with USSR or provide sufficient appearance of progress, in either case at possible expense of what US regards as essential elements any workable disarm prog in order provide grounds for Socialist and other groups Fr and West Eur seek delay ratification of EDC treaty and contractuals. There has been no indication from USSR that it is seriously interested in any real progress on disarmament at present but Dept fearful Sovs may exploit Moch’s attitude and his various proposals to embarrassment western powers in Disarm Comm and with possible deleterious effects on ratifications.

   “Convey discreetly FonOff our concern with matter.” (330.13/6–1152)

5. Instruction 286 to Paris, June 13, transmitting the text of the draft and comments on it, is not printed. (330.13/6–1352) Moch outlined his proposals at the 16th Meeting of the Disarmament Commission, June 30, 1952; for the substance of his remarks, see United Nations, Official Records of the Disarmament Commission, Special Supplement No. 1, Second Report of the Disarmament Commission, pp. 122–125.