Office of the Historian

163. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State in Washington and the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) in New York, February 27, 1957, 12:15 p.m.1

Washington, February 27, 1957, 12:15 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL TO AMB LODGE

The Sec said he just had a meeting and they have talked to BG re this new formulation and say his reaction is favorable but has to have a Cabinet meeting which he is now having and probably get word this p.m. This means we cannot make a statement or put in a res this p.m. They say they don’t mind if others make speeches. L asked if the Sec thinks this may be it and the Sec said he thinks so. L can stall for this p.m. and said he has had interesting reactions. He talked with the UK, NZ, Australia and Canada and apparently they are willing to have the question of Egyptian rights in Gaza mentioned in the res. L did not show it to them. The Sec said it is a question of getting votes. If keeping it in gets votes o.k. If the only support it gets is people who are not going to vote for it at any rate not so . . . .2 The Sec said that is a debatable question—L should have discretion. L has not come to a decision yet. Fawzi is in the next room and the element in the Arab world that leans towards going along with Russia is putting pressure on him and giving him a hard time today. Canada and Australia are shifting to our viewpoint. The question of getting the Arabs to agree to anything that is not plain sanctions is worse. Fawzi asked L and the other sponsors to meet with the Arabs. The Sec said we might hear c.4–5 [circa 4-5 p.m.?] today and after that work to be done to perfect the drafting of these things and how it is presented. L said if they get out then drop sanctions business—don’t need anything. The Sec said they would make their withdrawal statement in the UN and state their understandings and expectations etc for their public opinion. The Sec wondered re calling Hammarskjold and L said yes. The Sec said we may want to send L the formulation and L wants it. (I think the Sec decided against this after they hung up.) The Sec gave the essence of it. The Sec said Mrs. M is difficult on this—Eban is better. Wilcox got on or had been on and said they thought it would be helpful if it goes off if the SG made a statement and L thinks so and he should get out there immediately and the Sec mentioned getting the Canal opened.

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Bernau.↩
  2. Ellipsis in the source text. The word “good” immediately preceded the ellipsis, but was struck through; presumably Bernau was unsure of what was said.↩