259. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State0
1408. I began farewell call on President de Gaulle today by touching rather lightly on his attitude towards possibility of meeting with President Kennedy about second week in November. He did not seem surprised and promptly replied that he would welcome very much indeed an opportunity to meet again with President, but that there were two questions on his mind. First, with regard to locale, he was afraid that a meeting in Washington would involve too many ceremonies, etc. I replied by assuring him that the President disliked spending time at needless ceremonies, etc., and that what would be more suitable would be a working visit, and that I thought this could be handled in Washington as well as any other place in US. I did ask him if he had another locality in mind, and he replied that he did not, that he was just concerned in principle with too many ceremonies. Secondly, and even more important, de Gaulle felt that unless there was something specific that needed discussion at this time on which we could find common understanding, there was some danger that public would be expecting great things from meeting and then would be disappointed. I told him my government would understand his concern about lack of specific achievement.
He then gave a hasty tour d’horizon from Berlin to disarmament and commented that while we are in general agreement on most things, we frequently do not find common meeting grounds on specifics.1 He repeated his concern that if a meeting were to occur, there would be considerable public expectation over results and that if nothing unusual were achieved, ensuing letdown would be of negative value. He repeated several times great pleasure it would give him to see President again, and that he would welcome a visit with him. He was quite sincere on this latter point.
Comment: De Gaulle was obviously trying to make it clear that he was not being difficult and that he would really like to see President but he was genuinely concerned lest the meeting end on a negative note. Couve yesterday also said this to me.
Based upon my experience here, and a belief that psychological value of such a meeting would be very good for both of our countries, [Page 737] and an awareness of value of a good and productive atmosphere here in immediate future when we will be concerned with implementation of a new U.S. trade legislation, I believe it would be good policy as well as good business for our Presidents to meet. De Gaulle’s preference for informal type weekend meeting has been exemplified in Rambouillet and Birch Grove meetings and I think a meeting in that pattern would be welcomed and most useful. I would like to suggest therefore consideration of a meeting at, for example, Palm Beach. If a meeting were to take place at Palm Beach, I would further suggest brief visit to Cape Canaveral. De Gaulle continues to show unusual interest in new technology. For example, he is attending dedication of Telstar site in Brittany next month. I believe brief visit to Canaveral would please him and would contribute to overall psychological impact which we should seek to achieve.2
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.51/9–2062. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution.↩
- In telegram 1400 on the same day, Gavin reported that he had also emphasized the U.S. support for NATO and the effectiveness of the U.S. deterrent force. In turn, de Gaulle had been enthusiastic about his recent trip to Germany. (Ibid.)↩
- On September 24 Tyler sent Rusk a memorandum commenting on this telegram and stating that in the present circumstances, he did not think there was anything the United States could or should do to promote a meeting in 1962 between the two Presidents. (Ibid., 611.51/9–2462)↩