396.1 BE/2–654: Telegram
No. 436
The Secretary of
State to the President
niact
Dulte 44. Eyes only for the President, one copy for Acting Secretary. After difficult negotiation,1 have agreed with Bidault on following [Page 983] text of resolution to be introduced at restricted meeting Monday, but probably publicly available thereafter. Bidault has to obtain Laniel’s approval as text is less explicit on possible Indochina conference than Laniel instructed. Also Eden objects to language requiring proofs of Chinese People’s Republic spirit of peace. However, believe Eden will in last analysis accept what Bidault and I agree on.
None of us believe that there is any chance that Molotov will accept proposal in anything like present form, and I made clear that this is farthest we can go. Bidault asserts, we believe sincerely, that he and Laniel consider something like this a gesture necessary to enable them to carry on war with vigor.
Text follows:
(Verbatim text)
The Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, the USSR and the United States, meeting in Berlin,
Taking into account the need to establish by peaceful means a unified and independent Korea as an important step toward the reduction of international tensions and the re-establishment of peace elsewhere in Asia;
Noting, in connection therewith, the difficulties which have been encountered in concluding the requisite arrangements for the convening of a political conference on Korea, pursuant to paragraph 60 of the Korean Armistice Agreement and the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution of August 28, 1953;
Agree to invite representatives of the Republic of Korea, such other countries which provided armed forces to serve under the United Nations Command in Korea as may desire to participate, the Chinese People’s Republic, and the Korean People’s Democratic Republic, to meet with representatives of these four countries at a political conference at blank on blank to settle the Korean question;
Agree further that whenever developments at the said political conference on Korea are encouraging for peace, and if the Government of the French Republic, in consultation with the Associated States, deems that the conduct of the Chinese People’s Republic in Southeast Asia provides the necessary proofs of its spirit of peace, such four powers’ representatives will settle by common agreement the conditions under which a conference to restore peace in Indochina might be convened.
It is understood that neither the invitation to, nor the holding of, the above-mentioned political conference shall be deemed to imply diplomatic recognition in any case where it has not already been accorded.
- The negotiations on the resolution had begun that morning at a meeting of McConaughy with Allen and Roux during which the French had produced a draft which was considered by the other two delegations. In subsequent talks two further drafts were prepared before the Secretary of State met with Bidault and Roberts at 6:45 p.m. and worked out the text transmitted below. A record of the events described above was drafted by McConaughy on Feb. 6. (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 204) A memorandum of Dulles’ conversation with Bidault and Roberts, at which the draft in Dulte 44 was agreed, is in Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 204. None of the first three draft resolutions referred to above has been found in Department of State files.↩