70. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Dulte 32.
“Dear Mr. President: [Here follows a summary of conversations with the French on Vietnam and various European matters.]
“Throughout these days our activity has been punctuated by frantic cables and telephone calls from Vienna. The Soviets are very sticky and following their usual tactics of holding out to the last in hopes of getting some slight dividend. I had planned to go to Austria this p.m., but cancelled that out in order to preserve the uncertainty as to whether I would go in the face of Soviet tactics. Now, the Soviets have given in on the article relating to the withdrawal of troops so that it is firm and I think that we can work out a solution of the economic article 35 employing, if necessary, the device of a reservation which the three Western powers would make at the time of signing. This would shift to the Soviets the choice of whether or not to sign.
I have invited the three other Ministers, including Molotov, to dine with me Saturday night, and they have accepted.2
Everywhere, particularly at NATO, I meet your friends who send their greetings to you.
Faithfully yours,
Foster”
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 60 D 627, CF 447. Top Secret; No Distribution.↩
- See Document 75.↩