Office of the Historian

3. Letter From the Secretary of State to the President1

Manila, March 11, 1958.

Dear Mr. President: Our trip out, though long, was comfortable.2 We have just completed our first day of the conference,3 and as far as conference business goes it has produced no surprises. Two United States items of some delicacy were approved: The first—acceptance of a NATO proposal for contact with other defense organizations, and secondly authority to have contacts at the military personnel level with non-pact countries of the area, such as Korea and Formosa. Tomorrow there will be general discussion which I hope will be of the sort which has proved interesting and useful in other conferences.

Lloyd came to see me on the evening of my arrival and, with Casey and Nash, came to lunch today. He pressed to get together frequently but I suggested that there might be danger if we gave the appearance of setting up an inner circle. I have however agreed to meet with him and with Pineau tomorrow evening. This will be the first meeting of the three foreign ministers in more than a year so I imagine the press will build it up. The British in fact have already let word of it out. The French seem to be very anxious at least to give the appearance of reestablishing the old “tripartite” forum, and the British seem to be willing to go along. We shall be talking about the much talked about “summit” meeting and the new French suggestion with reference to a Western Mediterranean Pact.

Faithfully yours,

Foster4
  1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123, CF 991. Secret. Drafted by Dulles. Transmitted in Dulte 4, which is the source text, with the note: “For Acting Secretary for President from Secretary.”↩
  2. The Fourth Meeting of the SEATO Council of Ministers was held at Manila March 11–13. Source texts of telegrams which originated from the U.S. Delegation are from the Conference File, and are therefore copies of the telegrams as sent. Verbatim transcripts of the sessions are ibid., CF 981. The Classified Report of the Secretary General, dated March 11, is ibid., CF 980. For text of Dulles’ speech at the opening public session, see Department of State Bulletin, March 31, 1958, p. 506.↩
  3. Summaries of the first day’s sessions are in Sectos 17, 18, and 19 from Manila, all dated March 11. (Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123, CF 990; all included in the microfiche supplement)↩
  4. Dulte 4 bears this typed signature.↩