396.1 GE/5–854: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
niact
Secto 145. Repeated information niact Paris 224, niact Saigon 43. For his opening speech on Indochina Bidault originally planned something essence as follows: (British found text too strong for them fully to support but we considered it good).
“French Government, recognizing aspirations of people of three Associated States for independence and liberty, and noting their desire to be preserved from scourge of war, to practice toleration and to live in peace with other peoples as good neighbors, is firmly decided to follow policy which it is pursuing, of which essential is to assure these peoples their full national sovereignty as well as benefits of fundamental freedoms of peoples and individuals in exercise of their democratic liberty. To this end French Government is determined to take all appropriate measures to preserve against any danger of external aggression the territorial integrity of these states and to counter (prevenir) all attempts from whatever quarter to undermine their free institutions.”
However, this morning French delegation submitted following to Bidault which is obviously weaker and less satisfactory from our viewpoint:
“Recognizing the aspirations of the peoples of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos for national independence and liberty the French Government declares its decision to extend, for its part, to the sovereign states of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos the benefits of the undertaking to which it has subscribed in the term of the San Francisco Charter for the purpose of assuring the nations members of the UN of the respect for their national sovereignty and the benefits of fundamental liberties of peoples and of individuals and the functioning of democratic institutions.”
We are told Bidault is now studying two texts and will probably deliver speech hitting note somewhere between the two.