033.4111/5–2454
No. 456
Prime Minister Churchill to President Eisenhower1
top
secret
Washington, May 24,
1954.
My Dear Friend: I am planning to leave for Washington on the 17th arriving 18th as outlined in our telegrams of May 13 and 15,2 and shall be at your convenience at the British Embassy for a few days thereafter. I think the announcement might be fitted in with Geneva as soon as possible, perhaps even this week. If you still like the idea, I will suggest the text of the communiqué.
- 2.
- The main and obvious topic is interchange of information about atomics, etc., and the progress of your great design to develop its harmless side. Apart from that we will talk over anything that crops up. For instance, I should like to reinforce Malaya, and Egypt is my first reserve. With your support a sound and dignified arrangement should be possible. I sincerely hope you will be able to postpone sending the Egyptians any aid until you and I have had our talks.
- 3.
- Anthony would like very much to come as you suggested, though perhaps he could not be there the whole time. I agree with you that it is essential to have him and Foster together and with us.
- 4.
- It seems to me that our meetings in the easy informal manner that we both desire may be a help in brushing away this chatter about an Anglo-American rift which can benefit no-one but our common foes.3
Every good wish,
Winston
- This message was transmitted to London in telegram 6311, May 24, eyes only for the Ambassador.↩
- Neither printed; in the former Prime Minister Churchill suggested that the talks begin on June 18, while in the latter President Eisenhower agreed with that suggestion. (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 338)↩
- In subsequent exchanges of messages it was agreed to postpone the meetings until June 25. Documentation on the exchanges including the texts of the several messages is in file 033.4111.↩