351.001/7–245: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Caffery )

3036. Please deliver immediately to General de Gaulle the following message from the President: [Page 702]

When Ambassador Caffery acknowledged76 on my behalf the receipt of your cordial message of May 29,77 concerning a meeting between us either in France or the United States, he said that I hoped to be able to give you a definite reply within a few days. Unfortunately, the uncertainty which arose concerning the date of closing of the United Nations Conference at San Francisco made it impossible for me to give you a definite reply as soon as I had intended. I am, however, now happily in a position to do so.

I wish to tell you that I feel it important that we meet at an early date in whichever of our countries is mutually convenient. However, in your message you expressed your feeling that our meeting should not take place immediately before or after a meeting arranged between Mr. Churchill, Marshal Stalin and me. The latter will take place in Europe during July, and on the basis of your message I believe you would prefer that our meeting await my return to Washington. I therefore propose as a tentative time for your visit to Washington, subject to your convenience and approval, the latter part of August.

Grew
  1. See telegram 2428, May 31, noon, to Paris, printed in vol. viii , first section under Syria and Lebanon.
  2. Supra.