32. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France0
1703. Following is text of letter from President for immediate delivery to General De Gaulle. Advise date time delivery.
“October 21, 1959.
Dear General De Gaulle: I have received your letter of October 201 with regard to my suggestion for an early Western Summit meeting. I understand the reasoning behind your letter; however, I must say that I cannot, in all frankness, agree with all the conclusions which you reach regarding timing and other matters. I have certainly tried in all my contacts with both Western and Soviet leaders to describe accurately the American determination that we should not retreat or surrender on any vital point. But to show a readiness to negotiate is not to demonstrate weakness.
As I mentioned before, I believe that we have achieved a somewhat better atmosphere in East-West relations and I believe that we would be derelict in our duty if we of the West did not promptly explore further the possibilities for producing an agreed program for making some significant steps toward disarmament as well as a modus vivendi on Berlin in the light of their action in removing the time limit for Berlin negotiations. [Page 84] I am certainly not seeking to impose any fixed date for a summit meeting with the Soviets although I had previously suggested the possibility of December. I would not envisage in any event that a summit meeting would lead to any extended series of concrete agreements.
I do believe that the views of Prime Minister Macmillan, Chancellor Adenauer and yourself are sufficiently diverse so that an early meeting among the four of us becomes more rather than less urgent. In any case I do not believe such a meeting should be put off until the spring. To do so, and thus to present to the world a picture of Western inaction, would not, in my view, lead to a more forthcoming attitude on the part of Mr. Khrushchev. On the contrary I fear it would lead to a renewed hardening of his attitudes. Therefore, I conclude this is another reason bespeaking a reasonably early meeting among the four Western leaders.
I see no real reason why an early Western Summit would lead to harmful speculation in the press and in public opinion regarding an immediately following meeting with the Soviets. Indeed this would be one of the questions to be discussed by Western leaders. I now suggest that a Western Summit should take place well before the mid-December NATO ministerial meeting. I think that the four of us should consider among ourselves our present thinking about the NATO posture in advance of that meeting.
I believe that our correspondence, like our thorough and frank discussions in Paris, have revealed a large community of views in these vital matters. I feel confident we can iron out these purely procedural matters so that a fruitful Western coordination can occur before we attempt any discussions with the Soviets.
With warm regard,
Sincerely, Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
Observe Presidential Handling.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1/10–2159. Secret; Niact; Presidential Handling. Drafted in EUR, cleared by Goodpaster and by the President and in draft by Herter, and approved by Calhoun. The time of transmission does not appear on the source text.↩
- Document 30.↩