396.1–GE/4–2054: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France
priority
3767. For the Ambassador. Please deliver following personal message to Bidault from the Secretary:
“My dear friend: I am very disturbed to learn that you do not find it possible to agree with the proposals that have been made for the physical arrangement of our meeting place in Geneva. As you know, this has been under discussion by our representatives in Geneva and was also discussed with UK and French representatives in Washington by the Acting Secretary on April 15. The UK has agreed to our proposal in this regard, and I had not until today understood that France perceived any objection thereto.
You are of course aware of discussions that have thus far taken place at Geneva between our representatives and the Soviet representative and the determined attempt by the Soviet representative to transform the Geneva Conference into a “Big Five” conference in flagrant disregard of the understanding we reached at Berlin. I am sure that you agree we cannot permit this. In an effort to meet the problem we have suggested a seating arrangement of three rows with eight delegates and advisers in the first two rows and three delegations in the third row seated according to English alphabet left to right, with speakers rostrum facing delegates. There are numerous precedents for such arrangements in conferences of this kind.
I earnestly hope that you will reconsider your decision in the light of the foregoing so that our representatives in Geneva can be appropriately instructed.
If the Conference is to meet April 26, the physical arrangements must be decided and the work undertaken immediately. Since the Soviet representatives at Geneva have shown no disposition to discuss seriously the necessary arrangements with a view to reaching an agreement, I think it is essential that our side agree on instructions to the UN which will permit the Conference to begin on April 26. If this done the Soviets will have to bear the responsibility for any delay in the opening of the Conference arising from a failure on their part to accept reasonable physical arrangements.
I look forward to seeing you Thursday,1 but I believe this matter to be so urgent it should not await my arrival. Sincerely, John Foster Dulles.”2
- Apr. 22.↩
- No direct reply from Bidault has been found, nor is it likely that one was sent since Dulles’ message probably arrived in Paris early on Apr. 21. By the time of the meeting on Apr. 22, the French Government had agreed to the idea of auditorium seating, but without a speaker’s rostrum (see the minutes of the Apr. 22 meeting, p. 127). Documentation in file 396.1–GE indicates that French acquiescence in the US–UK seating plan was transmitted from the Foreign Ministry to Geneva by telephone, so that arrangements could be begun to have the Conference room ready by Apr. 26.↩