219. Memorandum of Conversation0
PARTICIPANTS
- Pierre de Leusse, Permanent Representative of France on the North Atlantic Council
- Ambassador W. Randolph Burgess
At luncheon with Pierre de Leusse, I asked him what guidance he could give us with respect to the President’s forthcoming conversation with General De Gaulle, [2-1/2 lines of source text not declassified].
He said that he thought the key to the whole business was in the participation of France in decisions as to the use of atomic weapons; that if there could be a better understanding on this point everything else would fall into place.
[2 paragraphs (14 lines of source text) not declassified]
He emphasized that this was not a question of being given secrets in the manufacture of atomic weapons, that Couve de Murville had made a statement on that score, and that they understood the law and the limitations in that matter. The question related to the use of the weapons.
[8 paragraphs (1-1/2 pages of source text) not declassified]
We both agreed that this was an area of conversation which was appropriate for two soldiers to discuss.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 740.5/8–1059. Secret. Drafted by Burgess on August 5. The meeting was held at the Cercle Interallié. Attached to the source text is a letter from Nolting to Robert N. Magill, Acting Director of the Office of European Regional Affairs, August 10, noting that the record of this conversation “is important in connection with the President’s conversations with General De Gaulle” and should “get into the proper channel for consideration in briefing the President for his trip to Paris.” Regarding Eisenhower’s conversations with De Gaulle during his visit to Paris, see Part 2, Documents 129 ff.↩