312. Editorial Note
On the afternoon of April 29, British Ambassador Sir Roger Makins visited Secretary Dulles at his residence to inform him of the results of the recently-concluded Bulganin and Khrushchev visit to [Page 586] the United Kingdom. Makins reported the following on the situation in the Near and Middle East:
“(1) As regards the Arab-Israel controversy, there was a vague implication that the Soviets would not use the veto power. As regards the Middle Eastern oil, the British made it clear that they will, if necessary, ‘fight for oil’. It was felt that some progress had been made in persuading the Russians that the Baghdad Pact was purely defensive, and above all designed to defend the British oil position. Nevertheless, the Russians were stubborn in their view that so long as this Pact existed, they would make trouble for the British in the area.” (Memorandum of conversation by Dulles, April 30; Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Memoranda of Conversation)