Office of the Historian

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

Paris, November 1, 1956—10 p.m.

2129. For Secretary and Lodge from Dillon. Most Urgent. Pineau called me during dinner and asked me to come to see him as soon as possible. On arrival I found him and Joxe together, both of them greatly disturbed.

Pineau said that they had just received intelligence information from sources in Syria that Soviet Union was planning military intervention through Syrian bases. Therefore, Pineau felt it was most urgent that some positive action be taken by U.N. General Assembly today to head off any such action by Soviets. Pineau suggested that General Assembly summon the Foreign Ministers of France, Great Britain, Israel, and Egypt to appear before it immediately. He said this would delay any action by Soviets for two or three days by which time he had good reason to hope the whole affair would be finished.

Pineau said latest reports indicated total collapse of Egyptian resistance to Israeli forces east of the Canal. He also said there were indications of unrest in Cairo and there was good chance that [Page 932] occupation of the Canal Zone could take place without any serious fighting or loss of life. Vital matter now was to prevent Soviets from turning present action into general war.

Pineau said that for obvious reasons France could not make such a proposal and he hoped that U.S. could do so or could arrange to have such a resolution introduced.2 Pineau said he was prepared to leave immediately for New York.3

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 320.5780/11–156. Secret; Niact. Received at 5:04 p.m. Repeated to USUN. Attached to the source text is a copy of a memorandum from Howe to Goodpaster forwarding a copy of the telegram to the White House.↩
  2. Alphand made a similar request to Murphy on November 1. (Memorandum of telephone conversation by Murphy, November 1; ibid., 611.51/11–156)↩

  3. In Tedul 2 from USUN, November 1, Dulles commented regarding this telegram: “Admiral Radford strongly discounts credibility due (1) extreme difficulty of mounting effective intervention through limited base facilities available; (2) necessity for overflight of Turkey or Iran; and (3) exposure of bases to quick sneak bombing by Israelis. Allen Dulles, MacArthur and I concur. It appears to us that Pineau is desperately trying to stall for time.” (Ibid., 684A.86/11–156)

    In response to telegram 2129, the Department of State on November 2 directed Dillon to “take matter up again on urgent basis with Pineau or Joxe requesting further details. Specifically what leads French to lend credence these reports? Can French give indication as to where and how such information obtained? Have they received any subsequent reports tending confirm this intelligence?” (Telegram 1656 to Paris; ibid., 320.5780/11–156)

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