320/10–2352: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Dunn) to the Department of State1
2503. News that US had voted with USSR and Arab States to consider Tunisian and Moroccan questions in political committee immediately after Korean question reached Paris too late to hit all of [Page 827] morning papers. Some however carried factual AFP account with little or no comment with Aurore headlining “US Against France In UN Political Committee”. Afternoon papers carry heavy front page heads over New York dispatches which express surprise, bewilderment and indignation.
France Soir headlines “Surprise Vote At UNO” with subheadline “This Decision Reached With US Approval Has Placed French Delegation In Difficult Position”. Paper’s special correspondent, G. H. Martin, states decision unexpected, particularly since AmbGross personally had assured only several days ago that US would oppose Arab attempts to place North African issues ahead other agenda items, assurance which French delegation indicated had been officially repeated by AmbGross within last few days. Thus, Martin continues, “We discount US support in warding off risk of seeing North Africa become great star of Assembly, adding to an already difficult situation an insult to our diplomatic prestige.” French career diplomats well known for moderation their views declare openly that AmbGross “has played us a dirty trick” and emphasize that US could have at least abstained. Martin then refers to explanations given by Amer diplomatic circles, that when AmbGross saw that no other delegation raised its voice to ask that France not be offended by particularly unfriendly procedure, he let himself be carried away by the current. Pessimistic observers, concludes Martin, suggest that Gross has decided to abandon France after bargaining with Arab-Asian delegations on Korea, observers believing that US seeks at any price to prevent UN from withdrawing from Amer military the right to negotiate exclusively with the Chinese and that it has bought support of Arabs for Korean affair.
Le Monde’s Maurice Ferro refers to vote as complete success for Arab-Asian bloc and considers it as setting in motion a tendency that does not augur well for future. Comments with some bitterness on the concern of Orientals such as Indonesians, who are being protected from Communist designs by American forces in Korea and French forces in Indo-China, to demand that complaints against France in Tunisia and Morocco be first to be examined by committee. US delegation, he states, followed same line as Moscow representatives and US position undoubtedly exercised a determining influence on outcome of vote. Refers to Mr. Gross explanations that he waited in vain for French to express opinion and having received instructions to abstain or vote along with the strong majority he voted for text submitted by Egyptian delegation. Ferro observes that while State Dept experts in Washington seek ways to influence France to show more understanding European integration, Amer diplomacy in New York seems to overlook completely the currents of opinion which now in motion in France. He adds America seems more anxious [Page 828] to assure itself of sympathy of Near and Middle Eastern countries and to enroll them under banner of West to obtain a comfortable majority in the Korean affair than to make a common front with a France which is an eternal friend and continental bastion of Atlantic community. He concludes: “It is doubtful that after having indicated by this vote that NA affairs are more urgent than measures of collective security and disarmament, US will now show solidarity with French on competence question”.
Paris-Presse carries AFP dispatch emphasizing the great surprise of this decision which will force FonMinSchuman to hasten his departure for US to head UN French delegation when North African affairs are discussed in ten days. Noting that US has voted with USSR and Arabs against France, dispatch concludes that USDel has “jumped off the French boat” as a result of subtle negotiations with Arabs delegation question of Korea because US wants to avoid by every means UN taking over armistice discussions with Sino-Koreans which are at present within exclusive province of Amer military. This dispatch will be carried in provincial papers all over France.
- This telegram was repeated to USUN, Tunis, Rabat, Tangier, and London.↩