<--PREV Doc #1523  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1525 Document #1524; May 2, 1960 To Christian Archibald Herter Series: EM, AWF, Dulles-Herter Series ; Category: Memorandum The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XX - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part IX: Shattered Dreams; March 1960 to July 1960 Chapter 22: Disaster in Paris   Dear Chris: Many thanks for your message reporting the CENTO meeting.1 I have seen some of the accounts of the meeting, which seem to have been held in a very good spirit. I particularly like the point that the sessions were rather "relaxed," which suggested a welcome degree of self-assurance and confidence. It was good also to know that the Shah is in a good frame of mind. I appreciate his good wishes.2 I gather from reports of conditions in Istanbul that your meetings there will not enjoy the same climate of relaxation--having in mind the conditions in the city outside of the meetings.3 Perhaps the presence of your group will lend a little steadiness to the situation there. I hope so. With warm regard, Sincerely 1 Herter had met with delegations from Iran, Britain, Pakistan, and Turkey in Tehran, Iran, for three days of "highly successful" Central European Treaty Organization meetings (Herter to Eisenhower, Apr. 30, 1960, AWF/D-H). The United States was not a full member of CENTO, but Americans participated in its various councils as a observers. For background see no. 1513 and Noble, Christian A. Herter, pp. 234 - 40. 2 Herter had reported that he had spent an "intimate" evening with Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the Shah, who had been "most attentive" throughout all of the talks (Herter to Eisenhower, Apr. 27 and 30, 1960, both in AWF/D-H). For background on U.S. relations with Iran see no. 1455, and for developments see no. 1653. 3 When he had sent his message Herter had been airborne for Istanbul, Turkey, and the NATO talks due to begin there on May 2. The city, however, was in turmoil: student-led mass demonstrations had broken out on April 27 in protest of the press censorship and other repressive measures the Turkish government had passed to muzzle opposition, including censure of the press. Violent confrontations between protestors and police would subsequently lead to a declaration of martial law. The NATO meetings, however, would continue as scheduled. On May 27 a military coup would oust the ruling government. For background on U.S. relations with Turkey see no. 1438, and State, Foreign Relations, 1958 - 1960, vol. X, Eastern Europe; Finland; Greece; Turkey, pt. 2, pp. 832 - 35; New York Times, Apr. 29, May 2, 3, 28, 29, 1960. For developments see nos. 1559 and 1578. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. Memorandum To Christian Archibald Herter, 2 May 1960. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1524. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/1524.cfm <--PREV Doc #1523  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1525

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