181. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom0
9191. Following for immediate delivery is text of personal letter from President to Prime Minister. Advise date and time delivery.
[Page 383]“June 4, 1960.
Dear Harold: I want to thank you for the thoughtful memorandum on improving tripartite consultation which you sent me with your letter of May 25.1 In accordance with your suggestion the three Foreign Ministers met here in Washington and had a profound and, I believe, useful discussion of ways and means to improve the consultative process.2
As you pointed out, we have had a series of tripartite meetings in recent years but these have not always been as efficiently organized as they might have been. This we hope to improve in the future. During the June first discussions here Chris Herter suggested that Livie Merchant, who has global responsibilities within the State Department, be charged with keeping in touch with his opposite numbers in the French and British Foreign Offices. The three could prepare agenda and discussion papers for future meetings and could assure both system and continuity in our tripartite consultations without, however, creating an official secretariat or other apparatus which might lead sensitive members of the alliance such as Italy or Canada to believe that an ‘inner directorate’ had been created.
This proposal sounds eminently sensible to me. It is essentially that which you proposed in your memorandum.
I believe that our consultations should concentrate on those areas where the Three Powers have special responsibilities and on global questions in which the Three have unique interests. I believe that we should also continue to develop consultation in NATO, paralleling progress toward more effective tripartite consultation.
I agree with you that we must be most circumspect about our tripartite meetings in order to avoid upsetting unnecessarily other Governments, both our allies and those newly-emergent countries, especially in Africa, who look with suspicion on consultation among the Western powers on African matters. We cannot, on the other hand, maintain such a tight secrecy that our motives and actions are suspected. This seems especially true in NATO. We have therefore suggested that a means be worked out to keep other NATO members generally informed of our conversations.
From our talks should emerge a means by which we can have more regular and better organized consultation among the three of us on political problems facing the Free World. We cannot, however, be sure that we have satisfied General de Gaulle’s desires. This was hinted at by the French Foreign Minister when he said that the problem of military coordination is a matter for future discussion. The memorandum which [Page 384] General de Gaulle promised to send to us should give us a further insight into his thinking and I am sure we will want to consult about how to reply to it after it is received.
In essence, I believe that we have moved somewhat along the path towards a greater harmonzation of our policies. It seems to me essential to continue this effort.
With warm personal regard,
As ever, Ike”.
Observe Presidential Handling.
- Source: Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Secret; Niact; Presidential Handling. Approved by Herter and Goodpaster.↩
- Document 177.↩
- See Document 178.↩