Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-16
MoIoioy Holds Out
For Bigger Share in
Indo-China Partition
BY the Associated Press

~ INV FASSSNAsss~S eN~~S
GENEVA, July 16.- French
Premier Pierre, Mendes-France
raced the clock today In a quest
to win an ndo-China cease-f1re
based on division of Wet Nam at
the 18th parallel. But his efforts
we're set back by a fruitless four
hour session with Russia's stub |
born v. M. Molotoy.
French sources said last nights |
meeting with the Soviet Foreign
Minister resulted in a complete
deadlock. Both statesmen stuck
to their positions and no progress
was achieved, the informants
said.
The partitioning Of disputed
Wet Nam was said to have been
the main topic of the parley.
which broke UP early this morn
ing. ).
Mr.. Mendes-France was re-
ported to have pressed for a
cease-fire line running from
Dong Hoi on the Wet Namese
coast. westward to Thakhek, on
the Laotian border.
Seek Larger Share.
Western diplomats said the
Communists seemed willing to
do business, but that they were
dickering for q bigger chunk OF
Wet Nam-most important Of
the three associated Indo-Chi-
nese states.
Mr.. Mendes-France, who has
promised to resign If he fails to
get a cease-fire by July 20. is
feverishly trying to iron out
points Of difference in small.
private huddles between French
and Communist delegates.
Informants said the French
Premier turned down a request
by Mr.. Molotov for a restricted
meeting yesterday Of the fun
conference. Mr.. Molotov wanted
to discuss membership and vot-
ing rules of an international
supervisory commission to police
an Indo-C China armistice.
The Russian repeatedly yielded
to Mr.. Mendes-France's argu-
ment that small meetings be-
tween the delegations would
make better Roadway.
Eden Is Busy, Too.
While the French Premier
took the lead in dealing with the
Reds, British Foreign Secretary
Anthony Eden backed him ur
with an exhausting schedule Of
meetings with members of both
the Western and Communists
delegations.
The French and British hope
to reach a large measure o.
agreement with the Communist
on detailed terms of an armistic'
by the time United States I'm
dersecretary of State Waite
Bedell Smith arrives tomorrow
to sit in on the negotiations.
Sources in Washington sal
the United States does not ap
pear to have budged from it
disappearing attitude toward
any partition of Wet Nam. Blu
informants there said MI
Mendes-France assured Secre
tary of State Dulles at# thei
recent Paris huddle that Franc
would only agree to an Indo
China truce couched in term
that the United States could llV
with.
Hope for u. S. Support.
The French hope the formul
they evolve will allow the Unite
States to avoid giving it's mors
support to the partition pla
and at the same time clear til
way for American aid and pre-
lection for South Wet Nam, Lat
and Cambodia.
In any case, Gen. Smith wi
get a warm welcome from M
Mendes-France and Mr.. EIDE
who feel his presence will in
measurably strengthen their ba,
gaining position with the Red
The French premier is e,
pected to try to postpone al
plenary session until just befo
his July 20 deadline expire
French officials said the confe
ence then would meet on "a d;
of TRUTH" either to declare
cease-f1re or announce collap