81. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France1

2542. For Achilles. On receipt this cable convey following personal letter from Secretary to Mendes-France informing him without [Page 125] undue emphasis at same time that Adenauer is being kept generally informed our views on matters he has raised:

“My dear Mr. Prime Minister:

I was very glad to receive your letter of January 5 and the accompanying comments on the ratification of the Paris Agreements.2

On the matter of United States relations with the Arms Control Agency of WEU, I am afraid that I cannot, at this time, go beyond the assurances I gave you in my message of Dec 7.3 This of course does not exclude the future possibility of our expanding this relationship as the Agency develops.

I am well aware of the difficulties which you have so ably overcome, and of those which you still face before ratification is completed. I would like to be as helpful as possible. In all frankness, however, I must tell you that it would in my opinion be a great mistake for us now to make another démarche to the Soviet Government. To do so would undoubtedly create an impression of hesitation or weakness. Moreover, it would enable the Soviets to reinforce officially their present propaganda position: that they will not meet at all unless the West agrees to do so before, and not after, completion of ratification.

If we press forward without hesitation, it is my firm conviction that the Soviets will in the end accommodate themselves realistically to this further demonstration of Western defensive strength and unity. They have consistently done so in the past despite their bluster and threats. I believe it is of vital importance to avoid giving them such an opportunity to try to delay the process of ratification, the completion of which means the coming into force of all the Paris Agreements. I assume that our understanding on this is the same and that we are agreed that the action taken by the West must be, as you put it to me when you were here,4 ‘irreversible’, before we enter any negotiations for a conference with the Soviets.

Moreover, I deeply believe that for your Government alone to make a move such as you propose would do real harm to the Western alliance, particularly in the absence of any indication that it were done with our approval. The effectiveness in recent years of our common policies has rested largely on the fact that we have always moved together in step. It is in our mutual interest to preserve this tactical unity.

I do hope that notwithstanding the extraordinary volume of your many activities you are in good health and spirits. My warm greetings to Mme. Mendes-France and yourself.

John Foster Dulles

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1/1–1555. Secret. Drafted by Merchant. Repeated to London, Moscow, and Bonn.
  2. Neither printed.
  3. Dulles’ message pledged the closest possible coordination with the Arms Control Agency of the WEU in the matter of military assistance. The message was transmitted to Paris in telegram 2081, December 7. (Department of State, Central Files, 740.5–MSP/12–754)
  4. For documentation on Mendès-France’s visit to Washington, November 17–19, 1954, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. vi, Part 2, pp. 1455 ff.