Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Western European Integration and Security, Canada, Volume VII, Part 1

187. Memorandum From Secretary of State Dulles to President Eisenhower⁰

January 23, 1959.

Yesterday the French Ambassador came to see me under instructions from General De Gaulle.¹ Among other things he spoke of the commitment of French forces to NATO. He said that De Gaulle did not presently propose any change of the status as far as related to the arrangements affecting Western Europe. He did, however, insist that, insofar as the Mediterranean was concerned, the French naval forces should be as free as were the U.S. Mediterranean forces, notably the Sixth Fleet. I said that while this was a matter for all of NATO to consider, we would, of course, give consideration to his position and indicate our attitude in the near future.

JFD

0. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series. Secret. The source text bears the President’s initials.
1. See Part 2, Document 89.