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

156. Editorial Note

Between January and March 1960, the Foreign Ministers corresponded about the establishment of tripartite talks. In a letter to Secretary of State Herter, January 23, Foreign Minister Couve de Murville reiterated President de Gaulle’s request for the establishment of tripartite machinery for coordination on global political and strategic matters. In his reply of February 3, Herter suggested they retain their tripartite consultative arrangements in Washington and reassured Couve de Murville that the informal machinery set up for the summit meeting preparations could be used to keep in close touch with each other on a wide range of issues. He suggested that the three Foreign Ministers keep in touch through informal evenings and dinners during the NATO and other conferences. In his letter to Herter of February 18, Foreign Secretary Lloyd agreed with Herter’s approach and suggested that if there were to be tripartite conversations at a lower official level, they could be held in London or Paris rather than in Washington.

In his March 9 reply to Couve de Murville’s letter of February 18, Herter agreed to his suggestion that the three Foreign Ministers meet during the Western Foreign Ministers Meeting on summit preparations in Washington April 13–14. Copies of the letters of the three Foreign Ministers are in Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Documentation on the Foreign Ministers meeting is printed in volume IX.