611.0031/5–2645
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
| Participants: | The President; |
| Mr. Dean Acheson;48 | |
| The Acting Secretary, Mr. Grew. |
I called on the President this morning at 9:30 with Dean Acheson. Admiral Leahy49 was also present at my request. I took up the following matters:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. I told the President of the serious situation developing in the entire Near East as a result of the sending of French troops to Syria and Lebanon, thereby bringing pressure to bear on those countries in anticipation of negotiations, and that I thought we should address a note to the French Government which while polite in tone would register our unequivocal opposition to France’s policy and action in those states. I also said that we might watch the situation for a few days but that if France continued to follow her present policy, which is totally contrary to the whole spirit and purpose of the San Francisco Conference, we might consider publishing our note in order to make our position clear to the entire Near East and such publicity might have a favorable effect on the French Government. The President read the proposed note and approved it after consulting Admiral Leahy.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .