Office of the Historian

137. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, January 19, 1960, 10–11:40 a.m.

SUBJECT

  • President Eisenhower’s December Trip to the Near East, South Asia, Africa and Europe

PARTICIPANTS

At the request of Prime Minister Kishi, the President described his trip in December to South Asia and other countries.1 He explained that the purpose of his trip was not to negotiate any agreement or treaty but to seek an improvement in the international atmosphere and convey to the peoples of the countries visited the deep desire of the United States for peace and our readiness to work and sacrifice for this objective. He hoped that the improved economic condition of the industrialized nations would permit them to work for improved conditions and a better living standard in those nations where it was obviously low.

The President said that nothing of great importance took place in Italy but he noted Italy’s strong desire to participate in the top international councils. He found the new Pope2 to be a very engaging personality. Regarding Turkey, the President particularly mentioned the great improvement in conditions there since his previous visit in 1952, the intense hatred of communism among the Turks and their desire for U.S. assistance.

The President said that he found the Pakistan leader, President Ayub Khan, an enlightened and intelligent person who is leading Pakistan toward freedom gradually, although democracy as it is known in the United States does not yet exist there. He also mentioned Ayub’s desire to strengthen ties with India in order to face up to the Communist threat from the north rather than to continue their dispute over Kashmir. The President commented to the Prime Minister that Afghanistan is unbelievably poor and has received a tremendous amount of Soviet aid [Page 266] which, if continued at present levels, could result in this country becoming an economic dependent of the Soviet Union if not, indeed, a political dependent.

The President said that India faces great problems, the most important of which is to educate its 40,000,000 people in the techniques necessary to permit industrialization and improved agriculture. Prime Minister Nehru is not pessimistic regarding India’s prospects but needs help, not only investment capital but technical assistance. In this connection, the President said that Prime Minister Nehru is most interested in Japanese industrial techniques with their relatively great utilization of manpower. The President discussed Mr. Nehru’s concern, shared by Pakistan, regarding recent Chinese Communist incursions into Tibet and Indian border areas, whose objective Nehru feels is seeking to recover Chinese Communist prestige rather than threaten India directly. The President thought this was wishful thinking. The President thought that Iran was making progress, although there remains a great disparity between the wealthy few and the low standard of living of most Iranians. Discussing his visit to Tunisia, the President described President Bourguiba as the most dynamic and vocal Moslem leader and an excellent friend of the Free World.

The President also touched briefly on his visits to Greece, Spain and Morocco. Finally, he told the Prime Minister that, during his visit to France arrangements were made for the Summit meeting.

In summing up his trip, the President said the strongest impression he received was the great need in all the countries visited, except Italy, for investment capital and technical aid. The poverty of the countries visited stood out in bold relief, impressing him completely with the need for assistance. The President felt that all the industrialized nations must find a way to assist these countries and particularly a means to prevent duplication of aid which would be completely wasteful. He also mentioned that he was most encouraged by the fact that the peoples of the countries he visited, despite exposure to intensive Soviet propaganda, strongly desire freedom and do not wish to become slaves in a state where their every activity would be directed.

The Prime Minister thanked the President for the description of his trip which the Prime Minister felt had definitely contributed to an improvement in the international atmosphere.

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Parsons. See also Documents 132–136 and 138.↩
  2. From December 4 to 22, 1959, the President visited Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Greece, Tunisia, France, Spain, and Morocco. December 19–21, he was in Paris attending the meeting of heads of state and government with Prime Minister Macmillan of Great Britain, President de Gaulle of France, and Chancellor Adenauer of Germany, during which the upcoming summit meeting of May 15–19, 1960, was discussed.↩
  3. John XXIII, Pope from October 1958 to June 1963.↩