Code Message No. 269 from Korolcyzk to Gede (Moscow), Willmann (Budapest), Mazur (Prague), and Zambrowics (Bucharest)

13

January 10, circular of Department I deputy director:

the French position vis-à-vis the Rapacki Plan

Warsaw Jan. 10, 1958

Top secret

CODE  MESSAGE No ^c269 10.I 13.05^c

Gede – MOSCOW

WILLMANN – BUDAPESZT

Mazur – PRAGA

ZAMBROWICZ – BUKARESZT

We hereby inform about ambassador Gajewski’s overall assessment regarding Gaillard’s interview for US News of December 30 last year concerning the Polish proposal of a nuclear-free zone. In this interview Gaillard said that the Rapacki Plan is dangerous and does not merit consideration.

The interview was primarily intended for the American audience and was meant to prepare Monnet’s loan negotiations at Washington that begin in 10 days’ time. In the current situation of France, obtaining an American loan is of almost critical importance for the government.

On the whole, Gaillard’s the brutal rejection of the Rapacki Plan was not welcomed. We have (Paris embassy) certain information that the Quai was dissatisfied with the part of the interview that dealt with the Rapacki Plan, and Joxe, MoFA director general, assured journalists privately, and that the Quai did not know the contents of the interview before it was published.

On the whole, the interview is regarded as an instance of further conditioning of French policy on the US. It also demonstrates that Gaillard is determined to carry out an extremely 'European policy' – acommodate Adenauer and all his gestures toward launching talks with the Soviet Union and should be treated as an alibi, given the anxiety of the local opinion.

^fKorolczyk^f

AMSZ, ZD 6/77, w. 59, t. 829