Office of the Historian

220. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State1

Paris,August 25, 1955—7 p.m.

861. Reference telecon with Russell.2 After concerting with British Chargé, I telephoned Margerie late yesterday afternoon we now had text and could give it to him then or this morning. He chose latter. When text given him this noon, his only substantive comment was that sentence in Part II concerning U.S. willingness to join in guarantees was obviously key point of statement. Believe French sensibilities adequately covered.

He says he sent word to Pinay orally by member of latter’s Cabinet who has gone to Aix that statement would be forthcoming and that he does not plan to transmit text to Pinay since latter fully occupied with Moroccan discussions. Margerie will however have Foreign Office press chief guide French press favorably when Secretary makes statement. He thought that sufficient but at my request agreed to suggest Pinay issue supporting statement after his return to Paris sometime this weekend.

I now believe it would be desirable for British Chargé to show Margerie Macmillan’s proposed statement tomorrow afternoon or Saturday. Reilly agrees and is so recommending to London.3

Achilles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/8–2555. Top Secret; Alpha; Limit Distribution. Received at 3:09 p.m. Repeated priority to London.↩
  2. No record of this conversation has been found in Department of State files.Russell, however, spoke with Dulles at 9:44 a.m. on August 24 and informed the Secretary that he,Russell, had received a telegram from Achilles saying that Pinay was at Aix-les-Bains, and that he, Achilles, wished to give the text of the speech to Margerie, who would forward it to Pinay. Achilles believed that if this procedure were followed, there was a good chance that the French would support Dulles’ statement. (Telegram 828 from Paris, August 24;ibid., 684A.86/8–2455)Russell also suggested that Russell instruct Achilles, when he called, to give the text to Margerie.Dulles agreed. (Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by Bernau; Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations)↩
  3. Achilles reported on August 26 that the British Chargé, Reilly, had shown Macmillan’s statement to Margerie, “who had already drafted guidance for Quai D’Orsay to give press,” and “was inclined to think . . . that there would be little point in Pinay making additional statement on Monday [August 29].” (Telegram 889 from Paris; Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/8–2655)↩