Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 2

663.001/12–154: Telegram

No. 945
The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State¹

confidential
niact

Paris, December 1, 1954—9 p.m.

2305. Re Deptel 1996² and Embtel 2288.³ Following receipt of word from Chipman⁴ as to this afternoon’s meeting, Achilles saw Seydoux and reiterated substance of Deptel 1996. Seydoux inquired how Washington would view unilateral French démarche in Moscow to effect that statements re Austria in Mendès UN speech not superseded by November 29 tripartite notes⁵ but that any views Russians wished to communicate through diplomatic channels other than through exchanges at Vienna would be welcome. We said this appeared to meet Washington’s objection to encouragement for quadripartite meeting Vienna but not objection to unilateral approach, and that while proposal also seemed more in line with our desire to emphasize normal diplomatic channels we could not forecast Washington’s reaction and that no unilateral approach would be preferable.

Seydoux said that today’s meeting in London had been negative from French point of view but inconclusive and Mendès had not decided what to do. He (Seydoux) would recommend to Mendès that if he still felt it necessary to make some démarche it be along line suggested above, but he felt that Mendès would not wish to suggest it to Washington if he thought reply would be negative. In response to question as to whether British also being consulted, Seydoux said no but that their attitude in today’s London meeting had been less negative than ours.

Seydoux has now telephoned that he has made above recommendation to Mendès but that latter will not reach decision until tomorrow. We would welcome further instructions niact.⁶

We have informed British of above in confidence.

Dillon

1. Repeated to Vienna and London.
2. Supra.
3. See footnote 5, supra.
4. Norris B. Chipman, First Secretary of the Embassy at London.
5. For text of the tripartite note to the Soviet Union concerning Soviet proposals pertaining to European security, delivered in Moscow on Nov. 29, see Department of State Bulletin, Dec. 13, 1954, pp. 901–902.
6. In telegram 2008 to Paris, Dec. 1, the Department of State noted its disappointment with the French proposal as outlined in this telegram and emphasized the need to maintain a tripartite front. If Mendès-France continued to insist on a followup in Moscow, the Department wanted Embassy officials to get Mendès-France to agree to a tripartite démarche by the three Ambassadors there. (663.001/12–154)