Office of the Historian

182. Telegram From Secretary of State Dulles to the Department of State0

Paris, December 18, 1958, 8 p.m.

Dulte 8. Eyes only Acting Secretary for President from Secretary.

Dear Mr. President: The NATO conference is now over, the last three hours being devoted to the usual linguistic battle about the communiqué. In a sense the session has been anti-climactic in that the most important pronouncement was made on Sunday by the Three plus Germany. Then there came the NATO Council back-up of their statement and that left not much of significance for the remainder. However, the final communiqué is, I think, creditable although not spectacular. I am about to have a background press conference1 and then go straight to the airport where I look forward to the luxury of your Columbine and its wonderful crew. We expect to go through to Jamaica with the plane then returning at once to Washington. I look forward to a few days of relaxation and what I hope will be sunshine and perhaps a little swimming. I shall probably not be back before Christmas so I now send Best Wishes of Janet and myself to Mamie and yourself for the Christmas season. Faithfully yours, Foster.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 110.11–DU/12–1858. Confidential.↩
  2. The transcript of the Secretary’s background press conference was transmitted in Polto 1760 from Paris, December 19. (ibid., 396.1–PA/12–1958)↩