DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: January 16, 1951
SUBJECT: Korea, Indochina, CFM
PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary Ambassador Bonnet
COPIES TO: EUR FE UNA EUR - Ward Allen
Ambassador Bonnet, who is leaving tomorrow for ten days in Paris, during which time he will confer with Ambassadors Massigli, Chauvel and High Commissioner Francois Poncet, called at noon today at his request.
The Ambassador opened the conversation by referring to the fifth point of the set of principles for the Korean settlement which was transmitted to the Peiping Government last Saturday by the political committee of the General Assembly. He said that Foreign Minister Schuman had asked him to express to me the French Government's concern over being omitted from the countries named as possible members of the "appropriate body." Mr. Schuman also instructed the Ambassador to express the hope that the U.S. Government would support France's inclusion on any such body.
In reply to the Ambassador I pointed out that we had not been consulted in the drafting of the principles and that they stipulated that the body "shall include representatives" of the states named. While I expressed doubts as to Chinese acceptance of any such proposal I said that if such a body were to be created the US would be glad to insist that France be represented therein.
The Ambassador referred briefly to the information he had received from the Department yesterday on the military situation in Korea and then mentioned the threat of Chinese aggression in Indochina. He inquired whether I had any information regarding the high level staff talks to which I replied that this matter was being studied in the Department of Defense.
The Ambassador then inquired whether there were any developments on the problem of branding the Chinese as aggressors to which I replied in the negative. I pointed out that we had dispatched another telegram last evening on this subject to our posts in Western Europe and that we were going ahead
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with our consideration of the matter. At this point I remarked that I had been a bit puzzled by Mr. Schuman's recent speech in the National Assembly regarding the Chinese aggression. The Ambassador said he was not informed of his Foreign Minister's latest thought along this line.
The Ambassador then proceeded to express his "personal" view on sanctions and that we should not commit errors similar to those committed in connection with the Ethiopian war in 1935. He added that if sanctions were applied they must not only be effective but must be based on common agreement and understand.
The Ambassador then referred to the discussions he had been having with Sir Oliver Franks and Ambassador Jessup regarding the preparation for the 4- power talks. He remarked that they seemed to be going along well and that there appeared to be a general meeting of minds. I took this occasion to point out to the Ambassador that I felt there was considerable urgency in our getting on with the substance of the talks and that we must carefully prepare not only the agenda but also our handling of the specific items on the agenda. The Ambassador said he would be glad to emphasize this point in his discussions in Paris.
Before leaving Ambassador Bonnet said he would like to see me as soon as he returns from Paris and hopes that at that time he will be able to present in greater detail his Government's thinking on these various problems.
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