Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NIT/NAVAL AIDE) 418 OF OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By DED NLT, Date 9-00-86 October 29, 1952 TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS SOVIET UNION The Foreign Office has informed our Embassy in Paris that the French Ambassador to the Soviet Union has now returned to Moscow with instructions not to refer to Foreign Minister Vyshinsky's recent suggestion con- cerning an improvement of Franco-Soviet relations. The Ambassador has also been told to seek specific instructions from Paris should any reference to the proposal or a further demarche along the same line be made by the Soviets. FRANCE Our Embassy in Paris believes our idea of a letter from the Secretary to Foreign Minister Schuman restating the US position on the North African problem is good. Its main value, in the Embassy's view, will be in making clear to the French that our position concerning France's presence in North Africa has not changed since the Secretary's talks with Prime Minister Pinay and other Cabinet members in May and that the US is seeking to be as helpful as possible in connection with the Tunisian and Moroccan issues in the General Assembly. The Embassy believes a fairly brief message making limited reference to our views on the type of presentation the French should make at the UN would assure sympathetic Cabinet consideration. The Embassy is convinced Foreign Minister Schuman is having difficulty obtaining Cabinet support for doing anything other than taking an adamant position onthe question of the General As- sembly's competence to consider these issues. In addition, French opinion is at best confused over the US position and for the most part believes we are somewhat hostile to France on the question. Our representatives believe the Secretary's message should strength- en Schuman's hand. Realizing the problems which a public state- ment at this time would cause in the US, nevertheless if we can con- vince the French Cabinet we really wish to help rather than injure France on the North African issue our position will undoubtedly be reflected in the French press. TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION