No. 665
Editorial Note
During a meeting with Secretary Dulles on September 14, Ambassador Bonnet raised the possibility that Prime Minister Mendès-France was considering attending several sessions of the United Nations in New York and inquired about the schedule of the President and Secretary Dulles during the first 2 weeks in October. It was agreed that both governments would seek to find satisfactory dates for Mendès-France’s visit to Washington, probably in late October. (Memorandum of conversation by J. W. Jones, September 14; Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation, lot 64 D 199, “September 1954”) When Bonnet discussed arrangements with Acting Secretary Smith on September 28, he stated Mendès-France’s desire to visit Washington in November if it could be arranged. (Telegram Tedul [Page 1456] 6 to London, September 28; 033.5111/9–2854) This proved to be agreeable to Secretary Dulles although Dulles noted that the shift in timing was probably due to parliamentary maneuvers and the desire to be absent at the critical period immediately preceding November 20, the last date when the overthrow of the government could automatically require general elections prior to the regular constitutional elections of 1956. For this reason, Dulles instructed that the invitation extended to Mendès-France be predicated upon the Prime Minister’s own decision to come to New York for the United Nations meeting. (Telegram Dulte 6 from London, September 29; 033.5111/9–2954) In accordance with Dulles’ instructions, the formal invitation was extended to Mendès-France on September 30; it was transmitted to the Embassy in Paris in telegram Tedul 15. (033.5111/9–2954)
In subsequent weeks the detailed arrangements concerning schedules and agenda were worked out with the French Embassy. Ambassador Dillon was emphatic in his opinion that the Mendès-France visit to Washington offered “a golden opportunity to overcome his [Mendès-France’s] sensitivity regarding the critical attitude toward himself and his regime which he feels has been current in U.S.” (Telegram 1824 from Paris, October 29, 033.5111/10–2954)
In preparation for these talks with the French, working groups were formed in the Department of State to draft position papers on a wide range of topics which were of mutual interest to France and the United States. Six sets of background and position papers were subsequently written concerning the following subjects: D 1 series, United States aid to France; D 2 series, European problems; D 3 series, North African problems; D 4 series, Indochina problems; D 5 series, other Far Eastern problems; and D 8 series, United States-French bilateral relations. No D 6 series or D 7 series papers were found in Department of State files. Copies of these papers are in Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 398.
The documentation that follows includes a comprehensive record of all the meetings held in Washington by Mendès-France. A complete set of the minutes of these meetings, the memoranda of conversation, and the telegraphic reports summarizing the talks, is in Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 398.
For the text of the welcoming statement made at Washington National Airport by Vice President Nixon on November 17 and Mendès-France’s reply, see Deparment of State Bulletin, November 29, 1954, pages 804–805. For the text of the final United States-French communiqué, issued on November 20, see ibid., page 804.