Office of the Historian

182. Memorandum of Conversation0

US/MC/35
Paris, May 18, 1960, 11 a.m.

MEETING OF CHIEFS OF STATE AND HEADS OF GOVERNMENT

PARTICIPANTS

  • United States
    • The Secretary of State
    • The Secretary of Defense
    • Mr. Merchant
    • Ambassador Burgess
    • Ambassador Eaton
    • Mr. McCone
    • Mr. Achilles
    • Mr. Irwin
    • Mr. Berding
    • Mr. Farley
    • Mr. McSweeney
  • France
    • M. Couve de Murville
    • M. de Courcel
    • Ambassador Alphand
    • Ambassador de Leusse
    • M. Lucet
    • M. Legendre
  • United Kingdom
    • Foreign Secretary Lloyd
    • Sir Frederick Hoyer Millar
    • Sir Anthony Rumbold
    • Sir Gladwyn Jebb
    • Sir Frank Roberts
    • Mr. Con O’Neill

SUBJECT

  • Disarmament

M. Couve de Murville said that Ten-Power disarmament talks are scheduled to resume in Geneva on June 7 and asked what the Western approach should be. The Secretary said it was difficult at the moment to foresee what events would intervene and what the atmosphere would be on June 7. The United States would want to think further during the period about the French proposals for control of nuclear delivery systems. Couve said he thought it would be a mistake for the West to take the initiative in postponing or suppressing the June 7 talks. The Secretary agreed that this would require very careful thought.

Mr. Lloyd said he hoped agreement could be reached regarding the new French proposal and its relationship to the Western disarmament [Page 484] plan. The Italians and Canadians would have to be brought into further discussions of this question. The Secretary agreed and pointed out that the Western disarmament working group would reconvene at the end of May in Geneva and could take up this question. Couve remarked that if we adhere to the position that disarmament talks should resume on June 7, we should do so with no illusions as to their outcome. It might thus be useless to put down any new plans or take new steps. The Secretary agreed that the prospects were bad, but thought that propaganda considerations might justify new Western moves. Lloyd agreed that we should continue to look for ways to maintain a good public posture.

The Secretary said it seemed agreed the working group should reconvene in Geneva on May 30. The three governments could meanwhile keep in touch with each other since he could not conceive of a meeting if a Berlin crisis should intervene. Mr. Gates said he conceded that it might be desirable to resume negotiations but thought a time limit might be set if indeed the talks are futile and the atmosphere bad. Lloyd said that as a practical matter the UN General Assembly set a final date. There were bound to be weeks and weeks of debate on disarmament at the UN and the ten-power talks could hardly go on simultaneously. Couve pointed out that the end of July was really the probable recess point since August vacations would take up the period between then and convening of the UN.

Lloyd raised the question of having the ten-power talks public. Eaton said he personally preferred this. Couve pointed out that the talks at present are virtually public in view of extensive press briefings and later release of verbatims. Lloyd said that if there were a chance of fruitful private negotiation, he would want to continue privately. In the present situation, however, he thought we would gain by public sessions. Eaton said that this would let the press see for themselves the repetitious and static position of Zorin and the satellites. Lloyd summed up by saying that there was an initial consensus and that the three governments should consider the matter further and the working group could discuss it after May 30. If the idea still seems sound an approach could be made to Zorin. The one obstacle might be the Canadians, since Mr. Green had urged secret sessions. Couve pointed out that private sessions could always be held if useful.

  1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 559, CF 1664. Confidential. Drafted by Farley and approved in S on May 20. The conversation took place at Quai d’Orsay. See also Documents 181 and 183. A summary of the conversation was transmitted in Secto 33 from Paris, May 18 at 5 p.m. (Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–PA/5–1860)↩