Office of the Historian

174. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower0

Paris, May 17, 1960, 8:45 a.m.

OTHERS PRESENT

  • Secretary Herter
  • General Goodpaster

Mr. Herter discussed with the President a message received from the State Department setting forth a proposed line of action in the United Nations Security Council should the Soviets take the U–2 case there.1 The President noted that the suggestion regarding Open Skies is for “reciprocal inspection.” He said he would be willing to have the proposal made to apply to “all nations that will accept such inspection.”

Mr. Herter said he thought the matter was one that he ought to raise with the British and French, to see if they would be prepared to join with us in making the proposal in the UN.

Mr. Herter also reported to the President that he had received a request from Mr. Dillon, with reference to the stopping of overflights by the U–2, or any further information top Administration people in the United States could be given on this matter, since it is being made to look like a reversal of a policy.

Mr. Herter said that some reports of top-level French opinion were being received regarding the performance of Mr. Khrushchev. Their evaluation is that the Red Chinese are behind this, with insistence upon a hard line. The President said he had received reports that Mr. Khrushchev’s performance has left the American people infuriated and staunchly behind him. The Secretary concluded by saying that he had had a call from Selwyn Lloyd. Khrushchev’s attitude during Macmillan’s call on him the previous night2 was just the same as in earlier meetings–in fact, all he did was read his memorandum to Macmillan again. He did tell Macmillan that he planned to stay around Paris for at least a couple of days, indicating that he wanted to avoid any impression that he was the one breaking up the summit conference.

G.
Brigadier General, USA
  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower Papers, DDE Diaries. Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster on May 27.↩
  2. Tosec 17 to Paris, May 17. (Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 559, CF 1666)↩
  3. See Document 173.↩