Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLTCNOOL Aide) 184 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED March 20, 1951 E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 TOP T By D-B NLT, Date 9-4-85 SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS FOUR-POWER The 13th session of the Paris talks EXPLORATORY TALKS yesterday marked time, since the Western Powers are anticipating that the Soviets may advance something new, and they wish to wait out this move. Ambassador Jessup reports that the French and British have at last faced up to the fact that we will not accept "problems of German demilitarization"1 as a separate agenda item, and they have come to real- ize the awkward situation which Gromyko would create among the three Allies if he dropped the reference to Potsdam from the Soviet proposal thus making it acceptable to the British and French. The Department had conversations yesterday with the French Ambassador and the British Charge in Washing- - ton, emphasizing that as we enter the third week of the Paris talks we feel it very important to continue to maintain an agreed tripartite position. We stated that we should not be at all anxious about trying to find a wording which would satisfy the Soviets. We feel that if we maintain our position there is an excellent prospect that we will be successful, and we are under no circumstances inclined to change our fundamental views toward the agenda. FRANCE We have advised Ambassador Bruce to inform Schuman that we received the French note concerning the Malta talks and that we hope to be able to dis- - cuss this matter with Schuman in Washington late next week. We have told Ambassador Bruce, for his information only, that we are concerned over the French reaction to their exclusion from the Malta talks. We hope to devise some arrange - ment that will assuage French sensibilities, meet the view of the British and the Defense Department, and help the French to contribute to Near Eastern stability without antagonizing the Arab states. We are discussing this problem with Defense this week and we also hope to be able to take it up with the British before Schuman's arrival. T