Editorial Note
In connection with Secretary of State Dulles’ trip to Paris for meetings with Premier Mendès-France and Foreign Secretary Eden on July 13 and 14, the Department of State released the following press release (380) on July 12:
“I am leaving by plane for Paris, where I shall confer tomorrow afternoon and evening with the French Prime Minister, Mr. Mendès-France, [Page 1343] and with Mr. Eden, the British Foreign Secretary. This trip follows an exchange of views which took place at Geneva yesterday between the U.S. Ambassador to France, Mr. Dillon, and tne French Prime Minister, and an invitation which I received this morning from the French Prime Minister. With President Eisenhower‘s warm approval I have gladly accepted this invitation.
“This trip will demonstrate anew the deep concern which the United States takes in developments in both Indochina and in Europe and our earnest desire to assure such coordinated action by France, Great Britain, and the United States as will best promote the attainment of those goals which we share together with free nations generally.
“As regards Indochina, while our long-term interests are identical, there is superimposed upon France and the Associated States a special set of primary interests due to the cruel and costly war now in its eighth year which the Communists have waged against France and Viet-Nam and latterly against Laos and Cambodia. The United States is not itself a belligerent in Indochina, and it is not clear that the interests which we hold in common with France and Viet-Nam, Laos, and Cambodia will necessarily be best served by identical action in all respects. Therefore, my trip to Paris is without prejudice to the previously expressed position that neither I nor Under Secretary Smith have at the present time any plans for going to Geneva, where the United States is presently maintaining contact with developments through Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson and his associates.
“My trip does show, I hope, that I wish to leave no stone unturned in seeking to find the course which will best serve the traditional friendship and cooperation of France and the United States and which will promote the goals of human justice, welfare, and dignity to which our nations have always been dedicated.
“We also attach great value to preserving the united front of France, Great Britain, and the United States which during this postwar period has so importantly served all three of us in our dealings with the Communists.”