396.1 GE/6–1654: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Dulte 186. Eyes only Secretary from Under Secretary. Eden departs tomorrow, taking most of his personal staff. Lord Reading, Minister of State, remains in charge, supported by good professional FSO, Colonel Monckton and about half of present technical and communications staff. Eden does not wish further to downgrade British representation while Molotov remains and in deference to the French. He estimates Reading will stay on for week or ten days.
[Page 1166]Chauvel will remain in charge for French, who wish to retain nine power representation during military-technical negotiations on subministerial level. Colonel Brabizon [Brebisson] is carrying on “underground” military talks. Chauvel expects decision may be arrived at within week or ten days. (See my Dulte 187 which follows.1)
Subject your approval,2 I will leave on Saturday,3 with Robertson, Phleger, and major part of our delegation. However, I believe we should not down-grade our representation too far during the next ten days or two weeks. I recommend:
- a.
- That Ambassador Johnson remain in charge here as long as Reading and Molotov stay.
- b.
- That Johnson be supported by Bonsal, Colonel Dwan, and minimum clerical and code personnel.
- c.
- That Bonsal and Dwan remain after Johnson leaves, until end of military-technical staff talks.
As indicated in my Dulte 187, French expect difficult period when Viet Namese are brought into picture and confronted with solution of “truncated” Viet Nam. I have made it clear to Chauvel that we must be kept informed on very secret basis, and that we cannot be confronted with sudden decision. French also know that we probably will not publicly associate ourselves with or publicly support such decision. Chauvel has promised that Brabizon [Brebisson] will keep Colonel Dwan informed.