Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Berlin Crisis, 1958–1959, Volume VIII

490. Telegram From the Delegation to the Foreign Ministers Meeting to the Department of State⁰

Geneva, July 29, 1959, 10 a.m.

Secto 414. In discussion yesterday by Western Foreign Ministers of text contained in Secto 410,¹ following qualifications made:

1) Lloyd reserved right to reopen for possible later deletion “and the agreements at present in force” in final sentence introductory paragraph. Other three Ministers all opposed deletion.

2) Foreign Ministers agreed declaration of intention in second part sub-paragraph (A) might, if necessary, be changed to direct declaration that governments would limit combined total of their forces, etc.

3) Foreign Ministers agreed that final two sentences of sub-paragraph (C) might be eliminated, if in course of discussion with Gromyko removal of quadripartite commission with respect access necessary to combat insistence by Gromyko on commission for other aspects of agreement.

4) Germans reserved right to press later for elimination of language “or amount to interference in the internal affairs of others” in subparagraph (D).

5) Foreign Ministers agreed they would be prepared to drop “in the absence of reunification” in sub-paragraph (E) if necessary in course of negotiations.

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/7–2959. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution.
1. Document 488.