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

49. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts⁰

Washington, March 23, 1961, 9:05 p.m.

1457. Joint State-USIA. According press reports from Moscow, Soviets have lifted censorship on despatches filed from Moscow by foreign correspondents. Dept has issued statement welcoming move as step towards removal barriers to free flow information and expressing hope it will be followed by removal bars to flow of information into USSR (principal bars are selective jamming foreign broadcasts in Soviet languages and non-availability to general Soviet public of representative non-Communist foreign periodicals and publications).

In commenting upon this action, US officials and output should take primary guidance from Dept statement (carried in Wireless File). Officials should avoid giving impression we do not regard lifting censorship as welcome advance, should stress hope this step will eventually be followed by removal or attenuation present severe controls on material from outside world available Soviet people and should draw upon following background points in order put move in context.

1. Censorship of foreign correspondentsʼ despatches was no longer effective bar to transmission censorable information to outside world, since present relatively heavy flow foreign visitors ensures many such items in any case become known outsideUSSR within a few days.

2. Consequently existence of censorship apparatus served only as propaganda liability, in removing which Soviets now able create impression further “liberalization”.

3. Ultimate sanction against foreign correspondents who seriously offend regime or consistently transmit critical material remains, i.e., Soviet ability either expel them from country or, in less urgent cases, refuse allow them re-enter once they have left USSR on leave. (Since 1945, according Dept records, six American correspondents expelled from USSR; nine refused visas.)

4. Removal censorship thus reinforces compulsion upon responsible correspondent whose duty to his employer requires him strive maintain representation in Moscow, to exercise self-censorship and avoid offending Soviet Government to point at which it would expel him or refuse let him re-enter. While censorship in operation correspondent could have some assurance it would excise material Soviet Government might regard with disfavor. Correspondent must now be his own judge in questionable cases.

5. Censorship has been lifted on outgoing material but situation unaltered with regard material available to Soviet people: latter continues be as tightly controlled as ever by Soviet Government. Most serious controls exercised through continued selective jamming foreign radio broadcasts in Russian (about 30-35% jammed out) and other Soviet languages (a high percentage of which jammed out) and through fact non-Soviet-bloc periodicals and publications (except for Communist Party literature) not available for purchase by Soviet citizens and can be read in libraries only by those who have political clearance. As facts warrant also useful cite situations elsewhere particularly in your host country, which emphasize general accessibility variety of foreign press, radio, television, motion-picture materials, in contrast with thoroughly controlled flow such materials to Soviet citizens.

Report official and press reactions to Soviet move.

Rusk

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 961.63/3-2361. Confidential. Drafted by Richard T. Davies (SOV/P); cleared with McSweeney, USIA, P,AF/P, ARA/P, FE/P, and EUR/P; and approved by Davis.