75. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France1
Washington, July 22, 1967, 10:30
a.m.
11595. For Ambassador Bohlen from Secretary.
- 1.
- Ambassador Lucet had a half-hour talk with me July 20 before his departure to France on vacation. Because you will probably be seeing him and he may mention it to you, I want you to have one particular part of our conversation that I am not reporting elsewhere.
- 2.
- Knowing that Lucet would be seeing De Gaulle at some point while back in France, I decided to speak quite frankly to him about the state of United States-French relations. I said that the United States did not seem to be popular with President De Gaulle these days. When [Page 145] asked by a somewhat flustered Lucet for specifics, I cited such issues as the Middle East, Viet-Nam, international monetary problems and even the “Anglo-Saxon” question of UK entry into Europe where French policy was directed against the United States. When I mentioned our sadness over the state of our relations, Lucet said that his visits to Rhode Island, Kentucky and Minnesota during the last few days had convinced him there was still some permanent friendship left. I agreed but commented that the unfortunate state of our relations gives some impetus to isolationism here in the United States. Lucet agreed with this, and concluded with the comment that “You’re fed up with all of us, but you cannot get rid of us.” I laughingly replied: “We can always try.”
- 3.
- In a subsequent discussion of this part of the conversation with Anderson (FBX) Lucet said that he understood and personally shared my views, that he welcomed having them, and that he intended to use them in Paris to try to obtain some “clarification” of French policy towards the United States.
Rusk
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL FR-US. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Anderson, cleared by Stoessel, and approved by Rusk.↩