132. Letter From Foreign Minister Pinay to Secretary of State Dulles 1

Dear Mr. Foster Dulles : The President of the Council and I have examined the question of possible dates for a Four-Power Conference, in light of the considerations that have been set forth to us in London as well as Washington. Our wish is, certainly, to see the conversation commenced as soon as possible under the best conditions for preparation and for success.

We recognize that numerous reasons of all kinds exist for a meeting in July on the dates proposed in your last message. Even though these dates raise serious difficulties for the carrying out of French parliamentary work, we are disposed to accept them. It might be necessary, in order to do so, to suspend the parliamentary debates. As this exceptional procedure could not be prolonged or renewed, it seems necessary to us, as Mr. Macmillan suggests, to agree immediately among ourselves that the discussions of the Chiefs of Government could extend, if necessary, throughout a full week.

With regard to the meeting of the three Ministers of Foreign Affairs at New York before San Francisco, regardless of the difficulty that causes me, I have made arrangements to be in New York on [Page 215] June 16 to meet with you and Mr. Macmillan before we meet at San Francisco with Mr. Molotov.

Please accept [etc.]2

Antoine Pinay 3
  1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123, CF 489. The source text is a translation of Note No. 327 prepared in the French Embassy at Washington and delivered to MacArthur, together with the French text, on June 4.
  2. On June 6, Secretary Dulles replied to this message welcoming French agreement to the proposed arrangements. Dulles also stated that he would certainly not exclude extending the Four-Power Conference to 5 days, but such a decision would have to be taken in light of developments at the conference. (Ibid., CF 483)
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.