FOREIGN RELATIONS: Diplomats at Work, Jun. 25, 1956

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In and out of the State Department flowed a torrent of policy decisions and position papers, hopes and trends and agreements, formal notes and informal memoranda—not to mention visiting foreign ministers and ambassadors—all symbolizing the quickening tempo of the cold war. Items of the week:

NATO. Dulles swapped visions and ideas with Canada's visiting Secretary for External Affairs Lester Pearson on their joint crusade to build the 15-nation NATO pact into some form of political community (TIME, April 30 et seq.). "We are only in the first innings," Pearson emphasized. "Our own views," echoed

Dulles, "are still at a formative and tentative stage." Then Pearson flew to London and Paris to sound out the Europeans.

Tito. Deputy Under Secretary of State Robert Murphy called in Yugoslav Ambassador Leo Mates for a 40-minute interview, asked him to find out precisely where Tito stands between the Communists and the West after the raucous reconciliation in the Kremlin.

Cyprus. Dulles fired off a note to Britain urging new negotiations with the Cypriots; the White House meanwhile fielded a note from Prime Minister Eden indicating that Britain, though keen on talks, first wants to crush terrorism. The State Department now notes privately that the current British Laborite attack on Eden's get-tough policy may help promote the necessary talks; State also believes that talks would be helped along by the return of Cypriot Political Leader Archbishop Makarios from exile. Should this bring about the transfer of Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the island's tough little Governor, State would not object.

The Atom. The U.S. signed a new agreement for the exchange of atomic energy information with Britain, thereby —among other things—cutting two years off the Royal Navy's five-year schedule for building an atomic submarine. The agreement will go into effect within 30 days unless the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy objects.

Red China. Dulles rejected Red China's bid for a foreign ministers' conference, at least until Red China 1) releases eleven Americans held prisoner in its jails, and 2) agrees to make a "meaningful renunciation of force" in the Formosa Strait.

North Africa. Dulles got ready to listen to the well-telegraphed argument of France's visiting Foreign Minister Pineau (see FOREIGN NEWS) that the U.S. ought to help the French pacify the Algerian nationalists. Deputy Under Secretary Murphy heard out the protests of Syrian Ambassador Farid Zeineddine (speaking for eight Arab nations) that the French army was already using U.S. war materiel against "the national liberation movement," and that NATO was becoming "a direct means to support colonialism." The U.S. subtly indicated its own feelings on North Africa by elevating a new diplomatic mission at Rabat, capital of newly free Morocco, to the status of an embassy.