Office of the Historian

315.3/11–1953

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Counselor of the Department of State (MacArthur)

[Washington,] November 19, 1953.
  • Subject:
  • French Views on the UN Administrative Tribunal Problem
  • Participants:
  • The Secretary
  • Ambassador Bonnet
  • Mr. MacArthur

Ambassador Bonnet called today at his request and said that he had one or two matters which he wished to discuss with the Secretary. He said that he had a personal and verbal message for the Secretary from M. Bidault regarding French cooperation on the UN administrative tribunal matter. He then went on to say that the French would find it very difficult to vote against payments because they believed that legally the administrative tribunal was empowered to make the awards. However, the French wished to be helpful and would cooperate fully with us in seeking to avoid a debate and vote and try to work out a procedure which would avoid recourse to the General Assembly. Furthermore, the French would cooperate in an amendment so that in the future this kind of a situation would not arise. Ambassador Bonnet again made reference to the fact that the French legal experts disagreed with the U.S. legal opinion which had been given them by our Embassy in Paris.

The Secretary replied that he was disappointed in the French position. At every hand France and other free countries were asking us to cooperate with them and to support their position in the United Nations or elsewhere. With respect to North Africa, the U.S. had supported the French position although much U.S. opinion had not believed it was the best course. The Secretary said that he found it [Page 371] discouraging that, when the French were requested to support us in a matter which would cost them nothing, they found it inexpedient to cooperate. If this were all the French could do, we would have to accept their decision but the failure on their part to understand our problems and support our position was not helpful.