Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Great Britain Oliver Franks, and Mr. Thompson

600 83 DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation DATEWahch 15, 1949 SUBJECT: Mr. Bevin's Proposed Visit to the United States PARTICIPANTS: The British Ambassador The Secretary Mr. Thompson, Deputy Director for European Affairs COPIES TO: G - Mx. Rusk GA - Mx. Murphy EUR 1-1493 The Ambassador said that Mr. Bevin planned to sail on March 25, arriving about March 31. He would remain here until April 8. He said Mr. Bevin wished to have several conversations with me in order that he might inform me of his thinking on various current problems, and he had expressed the hope that I would be willing to do the same The Ambassador mentioned specifically Germany and the Far East. He felt certain that Mr. Bevin did not intend to settle any matters in these discussions, but simply to have an exchange of views. The Ambassador wished to know in order to facili- tate Mr. Bevin's planning and whether I felt such talks could best be held before the signature of the Atlantie Pact of afterwards. I mentioned that the French Ambassador had indicated that Mr. Schuman had in mind the possibility of the three of us discussing the German question while they are here. I asked whether Mr. Bevin had any such ides in mind and said that I had not beon encouraging on the subject to the French Ambassador. The Ambassador replied that while Mr. Bevin might be prepared to engage in such tripartite talks he clearly had in mind bilateral discussions with me. DECLASSIFIED E: 8. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or I suggested B: B 8 State letter, 2-23-75 Aug.9,1975 as NT He NARS Date 4-20-16