601.6111/8–1453
No. 608
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of
State for European Affairs (Merchant) to the Under Secretary of State (Smith)1
Subject:
- Relaxation of United States Travel Controls on Soviet Personnel
Discussion:
Several of the NATO countries, notably the United Kingdom and France, believe that their travel controls on Soviet representatives should be relaxed in response to the modification of travel controls in the USSR. We have opposed such relaxation pending experience with the new Soviet regulations, as well as on the grounds that controls in NATO countries are still much less onerous than those prevailing in the USSR.
The British Embassy has recently advised us that the United Kingdom believes it must make some relaxation of British controls over Soviet personnel due to public pressure. The French propose to relax their control regardless of what other NATO countries do.
Travel opportunities for our personnel at Moscow have actually increased considerably as a result of the new Soviet travel regulations. This, plus our desire to maintain NATO unity regarding travel controls, leads us to feel that we should now relax our controls to the extent of granting blanket permission Soviet representatives in Washington to travel to Chesapeake Bay without prior notification. While such permission was granted last year, it was refused this year as a means of pressuring the Soviets into granting improved facilities to our personnel at Moscow.
A telegram2 was sent to Moscow asking if the Embassy perceived objection to granting blanket permission to travel to the Chesapeake Bay. Ambassador Bohlen has replied3 that he sees no objection.
Recommendation:
Approve granting blanket permission for Soviet personnel to travel to the Chesapeake Bay.