284. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the British Ambassador (Makins), Washington, September 28, 1956, 7:08 p.m.1
TELEPHONE CALL TO SIR ROGER MAKINS
The Sec. said he dined at the Fr. Emb. last night and after dinner had a chat re Suez2 and in the course of conversation the possibility of negotiation coming out of this came up. A.3 expressed himself very strongly against it, and asked if the Sec. did not agree. The Sec. said he did not know—it depends on how these things work out. Now we have a message from him saying he had informed his Govt of the Sec’s opposition to any negotiation and that he had now been officially informed by his Govt that they agreed and we could persuade the Br. to drop the idea. The Sec. does not know what to do—he is embarrassed. The Sec. and M. said [Page 614] they didn’t believe in doing business at dinner like that. The Sec. said A. seems to read into his utterances what he wants to find. M. said he put him straight earlier on one thing. M. asked what the Sec. would like him to do. The Sec. does not know. He thought if the Fr. approach the Br. and say the above the Sec. wants them to know it is not his idea. The Sec. has not thought through on how it can work out etc.—the general concept of negotiating is one he favors. M. will send a personal message to Lloyd and said this has been a confusion and they better get it cleared here if the Fr. say anything. The Sec. said he was encouraged re the para, in M’s memo.4 It is a prospect we should keep open-minded on. The Sec. said Wilcox said while the implication was he communicated the conversation, it is not at all explicitly so said. The Sec. said it would be good if M. sent a message.
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Bernau.↩
- See Document 276.↩
- Reference is to Ambassador Alphand.↩
- Not further identified.↩