Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western Europe and Canada, Volume VI, Part 2

Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 398

No. 671
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)¹

secret

Washington, November 19, 1954.

• Subject: General Assembly Speech

Participants:

• M. Mendes-France
• Ambassador Bonnet
• The Secretary
• Mr. Merchant

The French Premier called on the Secretary at his own request prior to the plenary session.² After briefly referring to the receipt of a message from Paris which indicated that the situation in the French Assembly was growing very difficult by reason of the North African developments, the French Premier stated that he was planning to make a speech in the General Assembly before his return to France; that he was anxious to make it a “big” speech and to secure thereby a favorable effect on French public opinion. He planned to concentrate on the question of tensions between East and West and he said that in this connection he was planning to make three proposals or propositions.

The first of these was to follow up an earlier Indian proposal and urge that further experiments in the atomic and thermonuclear field should be stopped.

The Secretary immediately replied that we had most carefully considered this matter and despite its original appeal had dismissed it for reasons which were weighty but too detailed for him to give at the moment.

The French Premier then said that he proposed to suggest that the State Treaty for Austria be signed but that the period allowed for withdrawal of forces be extended from 90 days, as provided for by the Treaty, to a period of two years.

Lastly, M. Mendes-France indicated that he intended to discuss the possibility of further negotiation with the Soviets. He would first knock down their latest proposal as unrealistic and clumsy. He did, however, want to suggest that at an appropriate time, say in March or April, after ratification of the Paris Agreements and after adequate quiet diplomatic preparation, the West would be willing to talk to the Soviets.

On these last two points, as well as in detail on the first, the Secretary promised to give the Premier the benefit of his thinking later in the day.

At 2:40 P.M., prior to the opening of the afternoon plenary,³ M. Mendes-France called on the Secretary at the latter’s request and was handed the attached informal memorandum by the Secretary⁴ discussing the three points which Mendes-France had indicated in the morning he intended to insert in his speech before the General Assembly.

The Secretary discussed at some length the reasons which led us to decide against proposing a moratorium and it was apparent that the French Premier was impressed with the arguments. It was equally clear that he was not particularly familiar with the subject matter. For example, he expressed some surprise at the extent to which tactical weapons were being developed and incorporated into our military establishment. He said that he would desire to consult his own atomic experts urgently in light of the Secretary’s comments but he made no commitment to exclude the subject from his United Nations speech.

On the second point relating to Austria he indicated, after the circumstances (with which he was unfamiliar) of Raab’s visit to this country were explained to him, that he would try to get hold of the Austrian Chancellor on Sunday with a view to securing his agreement to his making the two-year proposal.

On the third point the Secretary said that he thought a general statement of willingness to negotiate after ratification and after adequate preparation was unexceptionable but that he thought it would be a great mistake to mention any date. Mendes-France indicated that he was wedded to the idea of a date. The Secretary said that we could not agree to it nor would it be possible to attempt to secure agreement within the U.S. Government on this subject prior to the delivery of the speech. This matter was left unresolved.

Attached is a copy of the informal memorandum on the subject handed by the Secretary to M. Mendes-France.

1. According to the Secretary’s appointment book, this meeting took place at 10:36 a.m. on Nov. 19. (Princeton University, Dulles papers, “Dulles’ Appointment Book”)
2. For a record of the Second Plenary Meeting, which began at 10:45 a.m., see the U.S. Minutes, infra.
3. For a record of the Third Plenary Meeting, which began at 3:30 p.m., see Document 674.
4. Not printed.