160. Letter From President Eisenhower to Prime Minister Eden1
Dear Anthony: I was very much interested in the thoughts expressed in your letter of October fifth2 and wanted to tell you promptly of my views on the announcement you have proposed.
In the first place I am in hearty agreement on the desirability of keeping before the world the high degree of cooperation and mutual confidence in the United States–United Kingdom relations which is typified by our joint efforts in the military atomic field; this is valuable evidence of the continuing strength of a relationship which lies at the heart of the defense efforts of the free world.
On the other hand I am sure that you are aware of a number of sensitive issues, both in our domestic political situation and in our relations with our other allies, which the proposed announcement might raise. In particular I have reservations about the desirability of such an announcement at this moment. It would seem unwise to invite speculation and debate at this time on the delicate matters which are the subject of your letter and risk the freezing of attitudes and positions in a way which might well impede further fruitful progress in this field.
Therefore I wonder whether you would agree to holding in abeyance the proposal which was the subject of your letter with the understanding that we would continue our study of the question and that at a later date we might again examine the advisability of proceeding.3
With warm regard,
As ever
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series. Top Secret. A copy of this letter was sent to Secretary Dulles.↩
- Not printed. (Ibid.)↩
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Eden responded to Eisenhower on October 29, as follows:
“Thank you for your message of October 12 in reply to mine, in which I proposed an announcement of the programme for adapting certain R.A.F. aircraft.
“In view of what you say, I accept that we should leave this in abeyance for the time being.” (Ibid.)
↩ - Printed from a copy that bears these typed initials.↩