Office of the Historian

172. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Dillon), Washington, May 25, 1957, 5:40 p.m.1

Washington, May 25, 1957, 5:40 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL FROM MR. DILLON

Mr. Dillon said that the British had delivered today a note from Selwyn Lloyd on China. The note was friendly but it added up to “no dice”. Mr. Dillon said he could deliver it but he did not think it required an answer. The Secretary said he was going out and he need not bother.

[Page 466]

Mr. Dillon said that Selwyn Lloyd had stated he was grateful to the Secretary for his work on trying a compromise. Dillon said he would have the note on Monday.2

The Secretary said that the Pres. had sent the note to Macmillan. Dillon said we were pushing the French very hard and if the French reverse their position on Monday there might be a hope that the British might do differently. The Secretary asked if there was anything more that could be done for the French. Dillon said we had hit it awfully hard. He had seen Alphand.

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Asbjornson.↩
  2. May 27.↩