38. Editorial Note
On February 27, 1961, Walter J. Stoessel, Director of the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State, sent to the White House for clearance the drafts of four telegrams to Ambassador Thompson. The four cables [Page 88] were approved the following day and transmitted to Moscow late on February 28. In the first, telegram 1401, the Department of State reiterated the points that Bohlen had made to Ambassador Menshikov on February 14 concerning expansion of trade between the United States and the Soviet Union. (Department of State, Central Files, 411.6141/2-2861) Telegram 1402 outlined the U.S. position on Germany and Berlin, stating that the “central difficulty is of course continued division of Germany” and that the “United States continues to believe that there will be no real settlement of this problem or any real tranquillity in Central Europe until Germans were permitted to unite themselves. This will remain our constant aim and we would not be disposed to take any legal or other definitive steps which would appear to perpetuate or legalize this division.” For text of telegram 1402, see Foreign Relations, 1961–1963, volume XIV, pages 16–18. Telegram 1403, which outlined the U.S. position on the Congo, is included in the microfiche supplement for volume XX. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/ 2-2861) The final telegram, 1404, instructed Thompson to inform Khrushchev that the President intended to make a vigorous effort to reach an agreement on the cessation of nuclear testing. (Ibid., 397.5611-GE/2-2861)
Following the despatch of these telegrams, the Department of State sent Ambassador Thompson two additional cables, 1405 and 1406, drafted on February 28. In the first Thompson was authorized to deliver the Presidentʼs message (see Foreign Relations, 1961–1963, volume VI, pages 5–6) to Gromyko if circumstances warranted, although the Department preferred delivery to Khrushchev. (Department of State, Central Files, 600.0012/2-2861) The second elaborated on the Presidentʼs desire to reach an agreement on disarmament. (Ibid., 600.0012/2-2861)
On March 2 following a discussion of how to proceed on disarmament, Thompson reported that he had explored with the protocol section of the Foreign Ministry the possibility of meeting Khrushchev outside Moscow. (Telegram 2050 from Moscow; ibid., 600.0012/3-261) The following day he reported that Khrushchev would see him at Novosibirsk on March 9. (Telegram 2065 from Moscow; ibid., 123 Thompson)