768.5/2–650: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Bruce ) to the Secretary of State
579. Deptel 179, January 131 and Embtel 200, January 16.2 We took occasion over weekend to inquire again of Couve de Murville when we might expect indication French views on questions we had put to him re possible courses of action in Yugoslav situation.
He said that matter was still under study and he could not predict when reply would be forthcoming. He added, however, that as far as present policy and questions involving UN were concerned he felt sure there would be no serious differences of opinion over our suggestions. Question of arms was more difficult and French were considering it in relation to the overall supply problem. In other words French could not ignore fact that supply of arms for non-Communist world is limited and that “a tank for Yugoslavia means one less tank for others” (read France). Furthermore, Couve said that according to their information there was no chance of Yugoslavs holding out for appreciable length of time in event of direct Soviet aggression and that Yugoslavs themselves were thinking in terms of again “taking to the mountains” in such event. This was an added reason why French were thinking of military aid to Yugoslavs largely in terms of what would be appropriate in support of guerrilla warfare.3
- Ante, p. 1353.↩
- Not printed, but see footnote 3, ibid .↩
- A formal reply to the American inquiry on possible courses of action in the Yugoslav situation was contained in a French Foreign Ministry note of February 23 to the Embassy of France, a copy of which was transmitted to the Department of State as an enclosure to despatch 375, March 1, from Paris, neither printed (611.68/3–150). The note followed the general line set forth in this paragraph.↩