273. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, San Francisco, June 19, 1955, 9:30 p.m.1
[Here follows discussion relating to the forthcoming meeting of heads of government in Geneva.]
I told the President that Menon was troublesome, because he was mixing up the channels of communication, and no one knew quite where we stood, particularly Hammarskjold and the UN. The President agreed, but said that he did not see that we could do any less in view of the personal plea from Nehru.
I told the President that I had thought of the possibility of having an exchange of Commissioners from Communist China and the United States with a view to clearing up the situation on both sides and dealing with the PW’s and also the civilians in China, and also letting them check up on the Chinese students in the United States. I said I thought this might perhaps be a way out of the present impasse. The President said he thought this was a good idea and would favor it. I said I thought of this as an alternative to using representatives of third powers. The President said too he thinks that direct dealing was apt to be more effective.
[Here follows discussion relating to the meeting in San Francisco and the forthcoming Geneva meeting.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, Meetings with the President. Secret; Personal and Private. Drafted by Dulles on June 20. A note on the source text indicates that the conversation took place en route from the airport to the President’s hotel and at the hotel. The President was in San Francisco to address the United Nations the following day.↩