FOREIGN RELATIONS: Diplomats at Work, Dec. 24, 1956

Back from Paris last weekend flew Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to report to President Eisenhower on what he called the "important and productive" meeting of the NATO Council (see FOREIGN NEWS). On balance, the evidence bore out the Secretary's estimate. Militarily, the council had revised its ideas on mutual defense to take account of modern weapons—and the U.S. had promised to supply NATO with arms capable of firing atomic warheads, while keeping the warheads in reserve. Politically, the members had agreed on a high degree of foreign-policy consultation and coordination, even though the U.S. had stood by its right to independent action in areas, e.g., Latin America and Formosa, outside NATO's sphere. In sum, declared Dulles after his talk with Ike, out of the NATO meeting had come "a new sense of fellowship" and "renewed evidence of vigor and unity" in the Atlantic community.

In other areas of diplomatic activity last week the U.S. took the lead in marshaling the U.N. General Assembly's overwhelming, unprecedented vote (55-8) condemning the U.S.S.R. for its armed intervention in Hungary and calling upon it to make "immediate arrangements" to withdraw its forces under U.N. supervision and permit "the re-establishment of the political independence of Hungary." Delegated Vice President Richard M. Nixon as President Eisenhower's "personal representative" to Vienna to make a threeday, on-the-spot survey of Hungarian refugee problems. Visiting the U.N., Nixon praised the U.N.'s handling of the Hungarian and Middle East crises as a "fine diplomatic achievement." As for Hungarian relief, said he, the U.S. and the U.N. "may have to raise their sights." Within 48 hours the White House added $4,000,-ooo to the $1,000,000 it has already contributed to the U.N. to help Austria meet the burdens imposed on it by the influx of some 130,000 Hungarian refugees.

Prodded the Cairo government to show good faith by acting to restore Middle East stability. In conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Fawzi in Washington and President Nasser in Cairo, U.S. officials urged prompt resumption of talks aimed at clearing the Suez, settling its international status with Britain and France, and resolving the long-standing Arab-Israeli dispute.

Demanded, in the face of two previous turndowns, that Syria cooperate to allow repair of the Iraq Petroleum Co.'s pipeline cut by saboteurs during the Egyptian hostilities. Declared Under Secretary of State Herbert Hoover Jr.: "Unless work begins immediately . . . the oil situation will be aggravated, which means in human terms cold and hunger not only in Europe but in Asia and South America."