246. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the British Ambassador (Caccia), Secretary Dulles’ Residence, Washington, June 23, 1957, 10 a.m.1
I learned through Mr. Murphy that the British Ambassador was leaving at noon for England. Accordingly, I asked him to call to see me with reference to Mr. Macmillan’s suggestion in his message (delivered to the Department on June 212) that he might like to come over and talk with the President and me about certain aspects of the disarmament matter.
I said that Stassen was optimistic which was a good quality in a negotiator on this subject. However, the President and I did not fully share his optimism as to timing and I felt that probably a very considerable amount of time would elapse before it was ascertained, if at all, that the Soviets would accept a cut-off date and would accept adequate inspection to supervise this as well as a temporary suspension of nuclear testing.
I pointed out that a meeting on disarmament between Mr. Macmillan and the President would cause tremendous speculation and a feeling that important action was imminent and it would require full explanation to the French and the Germans; also probably to the Congress and to the public. I said that Chancellor Adenauer was in a particularly sensitive position as a result of the pending elections. I added that if a talk at this juncture seemed important, it might be better for me to come over as I could readily give as a reason the desirability of my attending one of the NATO meetings and that would afford me an opportunity to talk with Mr. Macmillan either in Paris or in London.
Sir Harold said that he did not have the impression that the Prime Minister desired any early meeting, but merely wanted to be sure that there could be a meeting if it seemed that the progress being made made such a meeting important from the standpoint of the United Kingdom.
I then dictated, in the presence of Sir Harold, a message to the Prime Minister which Sir Harold felt was appropriate to the present situation.3 He said he would report more fully personally.
[Here follows a paragraph regarding Pakistan.]
[Page 637](Following the departure of Sir Harold Caccia I read to the President at Gettysburg the text of my proposed message to Harold Macmillan. The President suggested one slight change of language which I made and I then arranged to have the cable dispatched through the American Embassy at London.)