661.00/4–1153: Telegram
No. 580
The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State1
secret
Paris, April 11, 1953—1
p.m.
5433. While stating that French Government has not yet formulated definite position toward Soviet peace offensive, Margerie indicated that following represented consensus of Foreign Office views endorsed by Bidault:
- 1.
- Internal measures probably represented steps which various members of Politburo had long felt advisable but which Stalin had personally prevented in his insistence on policy of maximum repression.
- 2.
- Mao was now strong enough to obtain Soviet acquiescence in seeking Korean armistice which Peiping had for some time desired.
- 3.
- Russia might at any time cause great damage by plausible offer on German reunification, quite possibly through ostensible acceptance of western proposals of last year. Any form of four-power talks could be dragged out interminably with consequent serious effect upon EDC and western rearmament.
- 4.
- None of Soviet feelers to date represent slightest change of policy or concession in principle. Berlin air talks, return of civilians from Korea and exchange of prisoners, represented merely slight moderation in intolerable practices without concessions of substance.
- 5.
- There is no indication that long-range Soviet objectives have changed in the slightest.
- 6.
- While measures so far taken have been designed primarily to influence opinion at home, Kremlin cannot be unaware of their potential effect in disorganizing western efforts to develop strength and unity.
- 7.
- New situation could be exploited to benefit of west only if exploration of general or particular offers is accompanied by unrelaxed effort to develop western strength and unity.
Margerie said that preponderance of Soviet strength had long weighed heavily on Bidault’s mind and that latter was firmly convinced that no general settlement, and probably no major particular ones, could be obtained unless and until west had material strength equal to Russia.
Dillon
- Repeated for information to London, Moscow, and Bonn.↩