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CONFIDENTIALA
- 2 -
A fortiori, they cannot veto international action outside
their bloc, though they might be offered more opportunity to
participate in such action. If the Communists are to be free to
engage in political action in the West or in neutral states, they
must open up their society to foreign political action. If they
insist on outlawing the latter, we shall be more and more driven,
at no matter what risk or cost, to outlawing the former.
Clearly we could not expect Khrushchev to agree to these
points at this time, but I believe it would be advantageous for
you to lay bare the fundamentals of the problem as you see it
and make it quite clear that we propose to deal in the future
much more vigorously with thosefundamentals rather than inadequately
and tardily with surface symptoms or local crises.
II. DE GAULLE
The Algerian question will doubtless arise. Despite the
general sensitivity on this subject and the wisdom of the policy
he is now pursuing, it is hoped that you may feel free to emphasize
strongly that the present negotiations at Evian must not be allowed
to break down. If they do, and the war is renewed, as it would be,
Communist influence in the whole of North Africa would, I fear,
increase rapidly. There would be a very real danger that not only
Algeria but Morocco and Tunisia as well would end up under Communist
control.
Precisely because of de Gaulle's scornful and unhelpful
attitude toward the UN, I suggest you might try to persuade him
that, irresponsible and inconvenient as the United Nations may
appear to be, it is perhaps the central point at which the great
body of uncommitted Afro-Asian States can be influenced and where
their ultimate commitment to either European civilization or to
Communist political and economic forms is likely to be determined.
I hope you will have occasion to express in some form your
disappointment that France has declined to contribute to the Congo
expenses, which puts her in the same category as the USSR and
gives the latter's disapproval of the UN effort there some color
of respectability.
U.S. support, and influence on Taiwan for the admission of
Outer Mongolia to head off a Russian veto of Mauritania appears to
be of great importance to the French Africans (12 votes) and
therefore to France. I suggest you record anxiety to help with
this if the subject arises.
AEStevenson :mr
Document source description
This file contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the Soviet Union. Materials in this file include newspaper articles, background papers on nuclear science and possible cooperative space exploration projects, a summary of a telephone conversation between President Kennedy and French President General Charles de Gaulle, an itinerary for President Kennedy's trip to Vienna, Austria, and copies of a joint statement issued by the President and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev concerning nuclear weapons, disarmament, and Germany following discussions in Vienna. The majority of this file consists of telegrams and memoranda to President Kennedy from Cabinet members and advisors regarding suggested strategies for discussing subjects such as nuclear weapons, disarmament, Berlin, and Laos with Premier Khrushchev.
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Document data
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"ocrText": "10\nCONFIDENTIALA\n- 2 -\nA fortiori, they cannot veto international action outside\ntheir bloc, though they might be offered more opportunity to\nparticipate in such action. If the Communists are to be free to\nengage in political action in the West or in neutral states, they\nmust open up their society to foreign political action. If they\ninsist on outlawing the latter, we shall be more and more driven,\nat no matter what risk or cost, to outlawing the former.\nClearly we could not expect Khrushchev to agree to these\npoints at this time, but I believe it would be advantageous for\nyou to lay bare the fundamentals of the problem as you see it\nand make it quite clear that we propose to deal in the future\nmuch more vigorously with thosefundamentals rather than inadequately\nand tardily with surface symptoms or local crises.\nII. DE GAULLE\nThe Algerian question will doubtless arise. Despite the\ngeneral sensitivity on this subject and the wisdom of the policy\nhe is now pursuing, it is hoped that you may feel free to emphasize\nstrongly that the present negotiations at Evian must not be allowed\nto break down. If they do, and the war is renewed, as it would be,\nCommunist influence in the whole of North Africa would, I fear,\nincrease rapidly. There would be a very real danger that not only\nAlgeria but Morocco and Tunisia as well would end up under Communist\ncontrol.\nPrecisely because of de Gaulle's scornful and unhelpful\nattitude toward the UN, I suggest you might try to persuade him\nthat, irresponsible and inconvenient as the United Nations may\nappear to be, it is perhaps the central point at which the great\nbody of uncommitted Afro-Asian States can be influenced and where\ntheir ultimate commitment to either European civilization or to\nCommunist political and economic forms is likely to be determined.\nI hope you will have occasion to express in some form your\ndisappointment that France has declined to contribute to the Congo\nexpenses, which puts her in the same category as the USSR and\ngives the latter's disapproval of the UN effort there some color\nof respectability.\nU.S. support, and influence on Taiwan for the admission of\nOuter Mongolia to head off a Russian veto of Mauritania appears to\nbe of great importance to the French Africans (12 votes) and\ntherefore to France. I suggest you record anxiety to help with\nthis if the subject arises.\nAEStevenson :mr"
}