394. Telegram Supnu 78 From Geneva1
Supnu 78. Following is suggested draft referred to Supnu 77.
The negotiations at Geneva for a discontinuance of nuclear weapons tests are not making progress. The principal obstacle appears to be Soviet unwillingness to discuss, let alone accept, an effective system of controls to assure that an obligation to stop tests is honored. The Soviets claim that they cannot discuss controls until they have an agreed understanding on an obligation to cease tests. The United States and United Kingdom delegations have repeatedly made clear that as far as their governments are concerned the essential requirement to ensure a lasting agreement to cease tests is an effective system of controls. The Governments of the United States and United Kingdom believe that, if the Soviets will cooperate fully in establishing and operating such a system, an agreement to stop nuclear weapons tests will surely last. Moreover, they believe that the changed attitude toward controls which such Soviet cooperation would signify would remove the greatest single obstacle to progress in agreeing on and implementing measures of real disarmament. Therefore, to make their position crystal clear and to assist the negotiations, President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Macmillan have decided to make the following joint declaration: “The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom will agree to stop nuclear weapons tests once and for all, provided only that an effective international system of control is agreed, [Facsimile Page 2] comes into operation by agreed stages, and operates satisfactorily in accordance with agreed standards.”
The President and Prime Minister hope that the Soviet Union will accede to this declaration and will instruct its representatives in Geneva to proceed promptly, together with the delegations of the United States and United Kingdom, to negotiate and sign an agreement to stop tests that has proper provisions for effective international control.
- Source: Proposed U.S.–U.K. public statement. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. 2 pp. NARA, RG 59, Central Files, 700.5611/11–2158.↩