396.1/11–753: Telegram
No. 282
The Ambassador in France
(Dillon) to the Department
of State1
secret
priority
Paris, November 7, 1953—10
p.m.
1813. Reference immediately preceding telegram.2 Following is tripartite draft text:
- “(1) In close consultation with governments of
France and UK, US Government has carefully studied
Soviet Government’s note of November 33 in reply to its note of October
184 in which it was
proposed that four Foreign Ministers should meet at
Lugano November 9. (Comment:
French suggested omitting reference this time to
consultation with Federal Government and German
authorities Berlin since this note somewhat
different from previous and perhaps preferable omit
unless Adenauer has contrary views.)
- (2) US Government noted that Soviet Government has
for third time ignored invitation addressed to it
which it was intended should lead to study of most
urgent international problems. US Government is
still of opinion that best way of reducing
international tension is to persevere in
constructive efforts to resolve existing problems
step by step, starting with those which best lend
themselves to an early solution. With this in mind,
US Government proposed meeting of four Foreign
Ministers about Germany and Austria and continues to
pursue its efforts to enable political conference on
Korea to take place. It remains of opinion that
negotiations on these issues could clear ground,
open way to broader agreement, and thus improve
chances of reestablishing real peace in the
world.
- (3) To judge from its note of November 3, Soviet
Government sees matter in different light. It
prefers that Foreign Ministers should deal in first
instance with international problems of so general a
character that Ministers could not consider them
with any chance of success in absence of real
progress on the most urgent concrete
questions.
- (4) Although US Government laid down no conditions
in its invitation and sought increasingly to take
into account, insofar as possible, view of Soviet
Government, latter has made a meeting of Foreign
Ministers conditional upon acceptance of a number of
demands. This would entail abandonment by US, UK and
France of all their plans to safeguard their own
security. A defenseless Western Europe appears to be
price demanded by Soviet Government for
participation in a conference. Soviet Government
must be well aware that such demands are totally
unacceptable.
- (5) It therefore seems that Soviet Government does
not wish, at least at present time, to open any
negotiations which might lead to positive results.
US Government is nevertheless determined to let no
opportunity pass of contributing to lessening of
international tension which remains essential
objective of its policy. It intends to continue its
efforts to achieve peaceful reunification of
Germany. It would like the four Foreign Ministers or
their deputies to conclude Austrian state treaty as
rapidly as possible, and it hopes that note
addressed separately to Soviet Government in reply
to its communication of August 28 will help to
achieve this.5 (Comment:
French propose separate note to Soviets re Austria
as indicated Embtel 1774 November 5.6)
Invitation which it has already extended to Soviet
Government, and which latter has so far felt unable
to accept, therefore remains open.”7
