424. Message From President Eisenhower to Prime Minister Eden1
Dear Anthony: This morning I sent you a long cable to say that we here felt very much in the dark as to your attitude and intentions with respect to the Mid East situation. I have just now received your cable on this subject for which I thank you very much. I shall be awaiting the further message to which you refer.
It seems obvious that your Government and ours hold somewhat different attitudes toward the Tripartite Declaration of 1950. Since we have never publicly announced any modification of the Declaration or any limitations upon its interpretation, we find it [Page 861] difficult at this moment to see how we can violate our pledged word.
In any event, I shall earnestly and even anxiously watch the unfolding situation.
With warm regard.
As ever,
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Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/10–3056. Top Secret. Transmitted to London in Niact telegram 3083, October 30, 12:09 p.m., which is the source text, with the instruction: “Following message from the President for immediate delivery to Eden. Confirm time of delivery.” Aldrich received the message at 5:35 p.m. London time, and immediately forwarded it to Eden at the House of Commons. (Telegram 2363 from London, October 30; ibid.)
This message was sent from the White House to the Department of State under cover of a note from Eisenhower to Dulles which reads: “In view of the fact that one motivation of my earlier cable to Anthony was my astonishment that he should avoid giving us any needed information, I have put together the attached, which I request that you send off to him. If you should see any reason for revision, won’t you please give me a ring?” The original of this note, initialed by Eisenhower, is in the Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Misc. papers—U.K. (Suez Crisis). A copy, ibid., Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series, bears the marginal inscription: “sent 11:35”.
↩ - Telegram 3083 bears this typed signature.↩