396.1 GE/6–2154: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Secto 488. Repeated information Paris 473, Saigon 189. Roux of French delegation has indicated to us that French thinking as to organization future work of conference involves delegating [delegation] to a committee of the conference of task of making recommendations re “technical aspects” of supervision and control of armistice. Reading informs us French delegation is preparing paper endeavoring to make distinction between technical aspects which would be province of committee and political aspects which conference would continue to work on.
I have stated to Reading and plan to inform Chauvel this afternoon that, although US delegation will give careful study to any suggestion made, it continues to be our view that certain fundamental matters of principle must be agreed to before profitable discussions at technical level and [can] take place. These fundamental matters, in addition to that of composition, include the authority, structure and [Page 1209] capacity of the International Commission in relation to the mixed commissions. (See in this connection Tedul 2111 and Dulte 195.2)
As soon as French paper is available, we will telegraph text with recommendations. French objective of course is to keep conference as alive as possible and to give impression of continued progress or at least of activity. If they can get agreement of six non-Communist delegations, they would plan present proposal described above at tomorrow’s conference session.