Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Volume III

197. Telegram From Secretary of State Dulles to the Department of State⁰

London, February 5, 1959, 2 a.m.

Secto 7. Secretary, Macmillan and Lloyd this evening¹ had preliminary discussion of Geneva negotiations on nuclear testing. Secretary urged importance of focusing on controls issue, if necessary breaking off present conference on this issue. Suggested that U.S. and UK could at that point propose to Soviets reciprocal forbearance atmospheric tests, citing their injurious effects and detectibility outside country of origin. He noted there is influential body of opinion in the U.S. holding that we should not agree to any test suspension except within the realm of detect-ability and expressed certainty U.S. Senate would not ratify a treaty incorporating current Soviet proposals on veto in control system, even if, as he understood British were considering proposing, intention to denounce treaty in event veto used were announced.

Macmillan wanted time for further consideration this matter. Although acknowledging merit of Secretary’s proposal in relieving humanity of dangers of atmospheric tests, he felt it left undesirably unsolved larger problem of achieving effective control of armament. He suggested, and Secretary indicated agreement, that Secretary’s plan might be modified to provide for continued negotiations on controls after initiation reciprocal forbearance on atmospheric tests.

It was apparent that Macmillan and Lloyd were not fully in accord. Whole subject will be further considered Thursday morning.²

Dulles

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/2–559. Secret. Repeated to Geneva for the U.S. Delegation.
1. February 4.
2. The meeting on the morning of February 5 was reported in Secto 9 from London, February 5. Dulles met again with Macmillan, Lloyd, and Ormsby Gore, and the British acknowledged that the object of the U.S. agreement to break the link between testing and disarmament was to focus on control. Therefore, the U.S. and British officials agreed to do so and give further study to the question of duration of the agreement and the fall back position of reciprocal forbearance of testing with continuing negotiations on control. (Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/2–559) See the Supplement.