396.1 GE/6–854: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Secto 399. Repeated information Moscow 109, Paris 398, London 255. Reference numbered paragraph 4 Secto 397 (repeated London 253, Paris 395, Saigon 149).1 Following is more complete account Bidault’s conversation with Molotov on Monday, June 7, made available to us by Bidault.
Bidault met with Molotov for about an hour. Discussion centered on composition and role of international control authority for Indochina settlement. Molotov was adamant on Soviet position that control [Page 1066] commission must represent the two sides of the conflict and that members must have diplomatic relations with one or the other party. He insisted that India and Pakistan be considered as on the French side despite their problems with France which he described as secondary. If other Asiatic states were preferred that was acceptable but a unilateral proposal was not. He could not agree to an arrangement in which India had the decisive vote.
Molotov contended that Bidault wished to contribute too many functions to the international control commission which in his view should have as its primary role the improvement of relations between the two parties.
To Bidault’s complaints re the lack of progress military conversations Molotov replied with charge that French had made no concrete proposals. His parting shot was that there had been very little discussion so far of political questions and that these must be kept in mind as much as military ones.
In short the meeting was completely unproductive. We are informed Bidault feels Molotov taking tougher line since his return from Moscow.