110.11 DU/2–553
The Secretary of State to the President 1
[Dear Mr. President:] Our visit in London was highly satisfactory so far as establishing cordial relations with UK Government and we believe it will help allay public distrust re Formosa largely stirred up by Labor Party and sensationalist press. Labor Party will try to exploit Formosa issue to maximum as part of opposition tactics. Our visit and Eden’s statement2 will greatly strengthen hand of government in today’s parliamentary debates.
[Page 1568]Stassen and I had cordial luncheon with Churchill and Eden and the talks at Foreign Office which preceded and followed developed unity of purpose re EDC which the government now clearly accepts as indispensable.3 Several avenues of coordinated action were developed.
Discussions also covered Egypt, Iran, Formosa and economic matters all in an atmosphere of complete confidence.
Eden’s dinner for us last night served to further cement personal relations.
[Best regards,
- This message was transmitted to, the Department of State in telegram 3642 from Bonn, Feb. 5, with instructions that it be delivered to the President and that there should be no distribution except to the Acting Secretary of State. A memorandum by Matthews attached to the source text indicates that the message was delivered to the White House on Feb. 5.↩
- In telegram 4296 from London, Feb. 4, Dulles sent the Department of State a statement which Eden proposed to make in the Commons concerning references in President Eisenhower’s State of the Union message relating to policy toward Communist China. Dulles asked if President Eisenhower had any objections to the proposed statement. (711.5890/2–453)↩
- For a record of Dulles’ and Stassen’s meetings with British officials during the morning and afternoon of Feb. 4, see telegram 3654 from Bonn, Feb. 5, supra.↩