Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Western Europe, Volume VII, Part 2

101. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France⁰

March 11, 1959, 7:26 p.m.

3320. Embassy pass USRO and Thurston. Department has noted curious discrepancy between deGaulle’s attitude on tripartite talks taken with Secretary in February in Paris¹ and that expressed to Spaak recently both by deGaulle and deLeusse.² Embassy will recall that in February deGaulle expressed relative satisfaction with progress which talks had made. It is therefore disturbing note this now adduced by deGaulle as a reason for his most unfortunate action re French fleet.

As you know we attach considerable significance to these tripartite talks. We have certainly made no decision break them off, though we have paused to review situation and are not now planning renew these talks until after NATO meeting.³

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 700.5/3–1159. Secret. Drafted by McBride; cleared by Timmons, Greene, and Murphy; and approved by Merchant.
1. See Document 95.
2. See Part 1, Documents 198 and 199.
3. Alphand met with Murphy on March 11; see Part 1, Document 201.