619. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1
2948. Eyes only for Acting Secretary. I called Butler this morning in accordance with arrangements made to keep in touch daily and found him considerably encouraged by his talk yesterday with Humphrey.2 I presume you have had Humphrey’s version of that conversation, but you may be interested that Butler described his impression of it to me as indicating that as soon as the British can announce a definite date for complete withdrawal of forces from Egypt the US door will be open for urgent consideration of the various further problems which have arisen between us. In this connection Butler said that Lloyd will return to London tomorrow and will make a statement in the House of Commons Thursday along the lines given me yesterday by Kirkpatrick (first paragraph Embtel 2915).3 He obviously hopes that this position will constitute the compliance with UN Resolutions which the US desires, although he did say that ultimate policy decisions cannot be finalized until Lloyd’s return and report to Cabinet.
Incidentally, he told me that with particular reference to the US vote for the Afro-Asian resolution and abstention on the Belgian amendment, both of which actions still are principal causes of difficulty to him here, he had expressed hope to Humphrey that “there will be no more UN resolutions”. He says Humphrey concurred.
Butler said he would call me tomorrow on any further developments. Meanwhile, I am seeing Macmillan later today at his request, on which conversation I will report separately.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/11–2756. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 1:06 p.m.↩
- See footnote 3, supra.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 614.↩