419. Telegram 1165 to Geneva1
For Wadsworth. Personal from Secretary. Regret that I cannot share your confidence that best way “to clear the decks” for focusing attention on veto and nationality of control staff will be to table remaining draft articles of the treaty. I realize that this is a close question and that from your standpoint there may be advantage in getting rid of accusation of stalling. However it seems to me that the tabling of remaining articles will almost certainly provide Soviets with opportunity to raise new issues and to prevent focusing of attention on key issues of control. Furthermore in view of list of matters where Soviet demands veto power in Control Commission we now have an unassailable position to focus attention on this matter. You will therefore, pending further instructions, abstain from tabling any further articles. Meanwhile please advise me whether you have any explicit agreement with Soviets that you would table draft [Facsimile Page 2] of article on duration as soon as they tabled their article on veto power in Control Council.
I realize that no control system can be absolutely “fool proof” and that we must count upon the chance of detection being sufficiently great as not to justify gamble of treaty violation. If however Soviet view about the control machinery prevails then even that risk would be minimized. It is apparent that Soviets want the Korean type of inspection system which we know to be futile.
I shall probably be discussing this situation with Macmillan on Wednesday.
- Source: No further clauses to be tabled in nuclear testing suspension talks. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. 2 pp. NARA, RG 59, Central Files, 700.5611/2–159.↩