Office of the Historian

288. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Ambassador in France (Houghton), November 13, 1957, 4:28 p.m.1

November 13, 1957, 4:28 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL FROM AMBASSADOR HOUGHTON (PARIS)

The Amb. read to the Sec. the attached.2

Houghton explained the background—Pineau was called at 9:103 and told precisely this: The Govt of the US has decided to postpone until ten o’clock this evening. At that time Bourguiba will be informed that unless the French Government delivers arms we shall deliver arms tomorrow morning. Ten minutes later at 9:20 Pineau telephoned back personally saying that he had sent a message. The attached communication, Houghton explained, was signed by Gaillard and delivered at the Embassy at 9:50 p.m.

The Sec. asked, “Can they only get arms from France?” Houghton stated frankly he did not know, although he said it might mean that. This was not spelled out in the attached message. They discussed the meaning—whether it meant other than France. In the broadest sense it might mean other than countries from the West. It might well mean other than from France.

The Sec. asked what about the British in this. Houghton said that Jebb was not in Paris but someone (I did not get the name) [Page 753] from the British Embassy had called Selwyn Lloyd in London to give a report on events. The Sec. said he would call Selwyn Lloyd right away. Houghton asked if the Sec. wanted him to wait at the Embassy and the Sec. to call him back. Sec. said yes. Houghton said the British do not see any point in going back to Gaillard.

Houghton said he had not yet got the Sec’s message. Did the Sec. want him still to deliver the message and the Sec. said yes.4

The Sec. and Houghton agreed it was a tough situation.

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Drafted by Mildred Asbjornson in the Secretary’s office.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Joxe telephoned Houghton shortly before 8 p.m. to request that the United States delay action until after the meeting of the Council of Ministers which was due to begin at 8 p.m. (Telegram 2125 from Paris, November 13; Department of State, Central Files, 772.56/11–1357) The Ambassador called Dulles at 2:55 p.m. Washington time to pass on this report and Dulles told him that Jones had been instructed to delay seeing Bourguiba until 10 p.m. (Memorandum of telephone conversation by Bernau; Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers)↩
  4. See supra.↩