250. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State0
974. Policy. Khrushchev-Kohler Part II. Harassment of Shipping. Khrushchev asked me inform President that “hooligan overflights” of Soviet ships continue to take place in all seas and demanded “How long will it last?”
I said I had had long talk with President before I came1 and knew there had been communications both ways on subject, but I could add some background to conversation Khrushchev had had with Ambassador Thompson and to correspondence.
But first I wanted to say it had been very interesting to hear what the Chairman had said and I appreciated particularly his description of differences between Stalinʼs time and today. As foreigner who served in Moscow during Stalinʼs time, I could feel difference now and was glad we could talk as we were. While we appreciated their efforts in foreign policy, we believed positive achievements which had been reached had been due to joint effort. US had tried to help in reaching those decisions. I was sure I reflected Presidentʼs attitude in saying that we compliment Chairman and Soviet people on what they have done to make progress in their economy. We hoped progress made by all peoples would redound to benefit of all mankind in peaceful world.
I didnʼt have text of Presidentʼs Buffalo speech, so I would reserve comment on this and just say that we have very close feeling for Poland and believe Poles should have had greater freedom of choice. But I was sure Presidentʼs speech had no provocative intent.
On question Chairman had asked re overflights, I had discussed this with President and he wanted me to make following clear (I then read appropriate portion my instructions of Sept 6,2 supplementing from Deptel 8643).
Evidently somewhat taken aback by description of buzzing of Tanner, Khrushchev commented he could not say anything about this since he did not have facts. He said it not Soviet policy to create obstacles to navigation on high seas. But Americans do have such a system and engage [Page 527] in these practices according to system. He was surprised that President was so unaware of this and wanted further evidence about it. When he talked with Ambassador Thompson, President gave orders not to do it. It stopped for a few days, then began again. Now I said US ships had orders not to fire at Soviet ships. We must not shoot at each other, for that would be war. There have been demands by US warships for Soviet ships to stop but he had given orders to them not to submit.
Khrushchev then recounted anecdote about Soviet ship en route to Cuba which US destroyer hailed and asked for destination. Soviet ship continued on way whereupon destroyer demanded it stop. Soviet captain then ordered radioman transmit continuously to US ship: “Peace and friendship”. Destroyer then replied “Peace and friendship” and left Soviet ship alone.
I asked when this had happened and Khrushchev said he could give me date and place if I wished.
I said I knew President did not want our ships to interfere with navigation and would be interested to know of any incidents in which his orders were not being obeyed.
Khrushchev then produced memo describing alleged incident Sept 23 in Aegean Sea in which Soviet commercial vessel Fryanovo, buzzed by two US navy planes from Carrier No. 65 (translation follows septel).4
I said President would be interested and matter would be investigated.
Khrushchev then spoke circumstantially about incident supposed to have occurred about one month ago in which, after having buzzed Soviet commercial vessel, plane crashed in sea and all aboard drowned, despite rescue attempt by Soviets. When he was asked what should be done about crash, Khrushchev ordered his people to wait since Americans usually publish this kind of news. Since nothing was published, it clear this had been military aircraft and news had been concealed from US people.
I said such crash could not happen without publication of news and asked if he sure this was American plane.
Khrushchev said he knew nothing had been published, since he had followed newspapers, and added he would give us information on incident.
I said we could check into it even without details but it would be helpful have these.
At this point, Smirnovsky pointed out that interpreter had not translated sentence from my remarks to effect that some Soviet shipmasters in [Page 528] their reports might be confusing normal maritime recognition procedures with harassment. Khrushchev said he not aware of norms of recognition at sea, but no nation had right to hinder vessels in international waters. These were not US territorial waters.
When he came to New York by ship a few years ago and was greeted by “dogsʼ concert”, he recognized it was our right stage such greeting since it took place in our territorial waters. But Soviets did not recognize any nationʼs right to stop Soviet ship on high seas.
After again denying we do so, I once more made point that some shipmasters may confuse recognition procedures with harassment.
With some heat Khrushchev said that when planes fly repeatedly over ships and their identification numbers are visible, what kind of recognition was that? These were provocative actions which had nothing to do with good intentions and did not contribute to better relations between our two countries.
I said I agreed and President agreed and I would report Chairmanʼs statements to him.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 761.5411/10-1662. Secret; Priority; Eyes Only.↩
- Kohler had talked with the President for about 30 minutes on September 6, but other than an entry in the Presidentʼs Appointment Book, no record of the conversation has been found. ( Kennedy Library)↩
- Document 233.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 248.↩
- Telegram 980 from Moscow, October 16. (Department of State, Central Files, 761.5411/10-1662)↩