Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part V. B. 2. b.djvu/90

 INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State

NIACT

SENT DEPARTMENT SECTO 256, REPEATED PARIS 848, FRANKFORT 23

Reference TELAC 8m May 12.

Following summarized highlights tripartite meetings:

7. SEA -- Indochina. Based on our preliminary bilateral conferences there was agreement reached on the assessment of the situation and our common objectives in SEA. It was decided that no tripartite declaration on the subject would issue from the conference. The British objected to such a declaration, partly because it would exclude Commonwealth. I did not advocate this and the French reluctantly reconciled to its absence. We also trilaterally agreed to take cettaincertain [sic] common measures in an effort to suppress gun-running into French Indochina and to cooperate on our information policies and activities in the area.

There follow highlights bilateral talks Schuman on matters not duplicated tripartite discussion.

1. Indochina. This was main subject discussed in detail Paris. Mr. Schuman in his opening statement to me substantially met us on the points which we have been impressing on the French without success up to this point. Mr. Schuman reaffirmed the acceptance of responsibility for Indochina by France; he acknowledged that US assistance must be supplementary and not substituting; he assured us that the March 8 agreements would be loyally executed and liberally implemented; he stated that the Cabinet had taken the decision to establish a new ministry for handling the affairs of the Associated States. Mr. Schuman did not make exaggerated requests for aid and seemed gratified with what I was able to tell him. In effect, I said that I was hopeful that for the balance of the fiscal year amounts might be found for both military

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