Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume V, Soviet Union

195. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State⁰

Moscow, May 13, 1962, 1 a.m.

2935. Eyes only President. Following is more complete account of meeting with Khrushchev.¹ Sorensen, Akalovsky and I spent night at Dacha Ogorevo some 20 miles outside Moscow. Also there were Adzhubei, Kharlamov, Zamyatin,² and Mr and Mrs Victor Sukhodrev. In morning we were joined by Mrs Adzhubei and two smallest children and Mr and Mrs Yuri Zhukov and Mrs Zamyatin. K appeared about 11:30 and we immediately went for motor boat ride on Moscow River. This and subsequent 5-mile hike through woods was limited to pleasantries and explanations of Soviet horticulture. We sat down to lunch about 2 pm. K immediately brought up subject of Adenauerʼs statements on Berlin. [Here follow the remainder of this paragraph and 6 more paragraphs on Berlin.]

Following lunch K indicated he wanted have private conversation with me and he brought in Sukhodrev. He said he wanted take opportunity my presence to make historical review of relations Soviet Govt with this administration. First he wanted tell me he had never been impressed by Nixon whom he considered intellectually shallow. He said prior to election Lodge, with whom he had had very friendly relations and with whom he had enjoyed traveling around US, had made overtures through certain Soviet contacts of his to have K release RB-47 pilots. He said he was cognizant that to have done that would have won election for Nixon. He had determined in his mind that Kennedy would make better President and he said also determined that if Kennedy was elected he would immediately release RB-47 pilots in order improve relations with new administration. He went on to say he had enjoyed meeting President at Vienna whom he had found most vigorous and forceful advocate of his country, very able man who was trying to see new ways through old problems. He said in year since Vienna there had been great improvement in American public opinion and he had also noticed improvement West German public opinion. He was particularly grateful President had received his daughter Rada and his son-in-law Adzhubei. He said no other recent President would have made such generous gesture toward Soviet Union. He then went on to say Berlin problem was central issue that divided US andUSSR and solution this problem would bring about solution all other problems that involved two countries. He said he was not sure US was sincere on subject of disarmament and nuclear test ban. Soviet Union really wanted achieve disarmament. I interrupted him to say I knew US would not have gone forward and tested had it been able arrange agreement on test ban with Soviet Union and further that President had stated only several months ago at press conference that he considered failure achieve test ban agreement as greatest failure his first year in office.³K said he was sorry hear that because if that was Presidentʼs position we would never arrive at agreement because SU would never tolerate inspection posts on its territory. Inspection had to be done by nations without use of permanent inspection posts.

In a discussion about lines of communication K expressed highest confidence in Dobrynin and said any information passed to Dobrynin for him would get to him directly.K also expressed great confidence in Amb Thompson with whom he said he had had best possible relations.

We briefly discussed proposed Khrushchev-Kennedy TV exchanges. K said he was for them but said he did not think they could go forward now. He said under present situation he would have to take hard line and he preferred wait until such time that both his and Presidentʼs TV speeches could be constructive. He closed discussion by suggesting we have luncheon again tomorrow and invite Amb Thompson but on arriving back at house he was talked out of this idea by Adzhubei. I told K that because there was no other American present during our discussions it would be helpful to me to have transcription of conversation Sukhodrev had prepared from his notes andK ordered Sukhodrev to give me transcript as quickly as possible. Sukhodrev promised to give me transcript in Russian tomorrow morning.

Thompson

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.61/5-1362. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. For another account of Salingerʼs meetings with Khrushchev on May 12 and 13, see With Kennedy, pp. 223-237. Transcripts of the private conversation are in the Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Trips and Conferences Series, Salinger Trip to the USSR, and Department of State, Central Files, 101/5-1562, as transmitted in telegram 2965 from Moscow, May 15. A copy of Sorensenʼs account of the visit is in the Kennedy Library, Salinger Papers, Box 154.
1. Salinger had transmitted the highlights of his conversations with Khrushchev on May 12 in telegram 2934 from Moscow, May 12. (Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/5-1262)
2. Leonid M. Zamyatin, Deputy Chief of the American Countries Division, Soviet Foreign Ministry.
3. For a transcript of the Presidentʼs press conference on January 15, 1962, at which this statement was made, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1962, pp. 15-23.