Preparations for the Summit Conference 315



124. Memorandum of Conversation


US/MC/25                          Washington, April 13, 1960, 3 p.m.


                 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING

                 Washington, D.C., April 12-14,1960

SUBJECT
    Foreign Ministers Meeting on Disarmament

PARTICIPANTS
    Additional Attendees Listed at Tab A
    U.S.                              Foreign Minister Couve de
    Secretary Herter                    Murville
    Mr. Merchant                      Ambassador Alphand
    Mr. Farley                        Mr. Lucet
    Canada
    Secretary Green                   U.K.
    Mr. Robertson                     Foreign Secretary Lloyd
    Ambassador Heeney                 Ambassador Caccia
    Italy                             Mr. Hainworth
    Foreign Minister Segni
    Ambassador Brosio
    Ambassador Straneo
    France

    Secretary Herter extended a welcome to the group and expressed
the hope that today's discussion would be worthwhile. He said that the
agenda for the meeting was a nebulous one. We hoped to discuss the
progress made to date at Geneva, to concert our assessment of the exist-
ing situation and discuss the moves we might make between now and
the Summit. He assumed that all delegations had available the Five
Power report2 prepared by our Geneva delegations and that this could
serve as the basis for the discussion. The first point to note was the sharp
difference of opinion between the East and West on the manner of pro-
ceeding in negotiations. The Soviets were sticking so far on the need to



    Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1-WA/4-1360. Confidential.
Drafted
by Spiers, initialed by Merchant, and approved in M on April 16 and S on
April 21. The
conversation took place in the Conference Suite at 1776 Pennsylvania Avenue.
    1 Not printed.
    2Document 112.