Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Berlin Crisis, 1959–1960; Germany; Austria, Volume IX

180. Telegram From the Delegation at the Summit Conference to the Department of State⁰

Paris, May 17, 1960, midnight.

Secto 26. At meeting of three Western Heads of Government, 9:30 p.m. May 17 at Elysee Palace,¹De Gaulle reported that he had been informed Khrushchev would pay him final call at 11 Wednesday morning, hold press conference 3 p.m.,² and depart Paris 11 Thursday morning.

De Gaulle said question of tripartite communiqué (text telegraphed separately Exhagerty four)³ remained to be agreed. This was done promptly and issued 10 tonight Paris time.

In response to inquiry, President said he intends to depart Paris Thursday morning paying morning farewell call on De Gaulle prior departure.

It was further agreed three Western Foreign Ministers would meet at Quai d’Orsay at 11 a.m. May 18, and that three Western Heads of Government would meet at Elysee at 5 p.m. for final consideration subjects on summit agenda and situation arising from its failure to convene.

De Gaulle attended by Debre and Couve de Murville; Macmillan by Lloyd, Hoyer Millar and Rumbold; and the President by the Secretary, Secretary Gates, Whitney, Houghton and Merchant.

Macmillan stated he planned to depart for London Thursday morning. Lloyd reported on talk with Gromyko before dinner as reported separately.⁴

Following meeting French said Khrushchev’s evening letter to De Gaulle re non-attendance summit meeting this afternoon and De Gaulle’s succinct reply were being released to press.⁵

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–PA/5–1760. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Bonn, and Moscow.
1. For another brief account of this meeting, see Macmillan, Pointing the Way, p. 211.
2. For a transcript of Khrushchev’s press conference, see Background Documents, pp. 56–68.
3. For text of the communiqué, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1960, p. 431. The Exhagerty four cable has not been found.
4. See Document 179.
5. Following this meeting, Kohler briefed Grewe on its substance and on the substance of Lloyd’s conversation with Gromyko. A memorandum of their conversation (US/MC/21) is in Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 559, CF 1664.