Office of the Historian

340. Memorandum of a Conversation, New York, October 13, 1956, 4 p.m.1

New York, October 13, 1956, 4 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • Suez

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.—The Secretary of State and members of the U.S. Staff
  • U.K.—Mr. Selwyn Lloyd and members of the U.K. Staff
  • France—Mr. Pineau and members of the French Staff
1.
Prior to the meeting of the SC, the three Delegations met in the office of the President of the Council to hear reactions to the U.K.-French draft resolution and plans for the SC meeting.
2.

Mr. Pineau said that the Secretary-General was not happy with the second part of the draft resolution, but that Peru and Cuba had indicated they were ready to vote for the entire resolution. Mr. Broustra of the French Delegation reported that Iran was ready to vote for the first part, but had suggestions for amending the second part. He objected to saying that Egypt had not made any proposals. Mr. Dulles said that the SYG had told him that, if the Egyptian Foreign Minister appealed to him he would have to say that the Egyptians had made proposals which were sufficiently precise.

There was further discussion of the draft resolution and some drafting changes were made. Mr. Pineau said that he did not think that the French Government would fall over this issue but feared that, unless the resolution was handled right, when the SYG called the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France and the U.K. together for further talks, the French Government simply would not attend.

3.
Mr. Pineau said, however, that if the Resolution were voted as a whole and it was vetoed, a second resolution should be introduced limited to the six principles with no additions and no proposals for negotiations. This would ease his position with the French Government, and the SYG would be able on his own to arrange further talks.
4.
Mr. Dulles said it was clear that if this were the outcome, the SC would remain seized of the question. Mr. Pineau agreed, and said of course that was automatic. Mr. Dulles said that there had been a great gain in getting the U.S.S.R., as they had done in their speech to the SC, to endorse the talks that had taken place in New York. If that were not nailed down now, we might never again have the opportunity to keep the Soviets out of the talks. Mr. Dulles said he [Page 718] was sure that the Soviets would veto the second part of the resolution if it remained as drafted. Mr. Pineau reiterated that the French Government would refuse to attend any further talks if, after a veto of the second part, anything were included in the resolution on further talks. Mr. Pineau said his preference was to vote for the resolution as a whole, for which he expected nine votes, and then for a second resolution with the six points only. Mr. Dulles might, at that time, intervene and say that it was his understanding that the SYG and the three parties could still carry on negotiations.
5.
During the following SC meeting, Ambassador Alphand asked if it was agreed that Mr. Dulles would make this intervention, and he was informed, with the Secretary’s approval, that he agreed to do this.
  1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 800. Secret. Drafted by Barco on October 15. The time of the meeting is from the chronology prepared by the U.S. Delegation.↩