Office of the Historian

55. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union0

Washington, April 5, 1961, 7:23 p.m.

1673. Eyes only for Ambassador. You will have noted White House announcement April 31 setting firm dates worked out with French for Presidentʼs visit to Paris May 31 through June 2. We are repeating to you Deptel to Paris2 regarding plans for this visit and will repeat future messages as pertinent. President would be prepared to proceed to Vienna for two-day “get acquainted” meeting with Khrushchev on June 3 and 43 provided (1) these dates convenient to Khrushchev and (2) international atmosphere appropriate for such meeting at that time. Latter would presumably depend mainly on progress toward settlement question of Laos and Soviet restraint in not stimulating other crises. For example, if Laotian situation were still as sensitive as now, or if new crisis had developed in another area, popular reaction in the US would probably be hostile to a meeting and thus prevent it from assisting in the relief of international tensions. Therefore, President would not wish now to have any firm understanding that might later need to be changed, with attendant danger of recrimination. Nevertheless, suggest you should seek early opportunity to discuss dates and these other aspects of the question on tentative basis with Khrushchev or Foreign Minister.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.11-KE/4-561. Secret. Drafted and approved by Kohler and cleared with the President, Rusk, Bundy, and Bohlen (in substance).↩
  2. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, p. 569.↩
  3. Telegram 1668 to Moscow, April 4. (Department of State, Central Files, 711.11-KE/4-461)↩
  4. On April 10 Thompson reported that Gromyko believed June 3 and 4 was acceptable, but would confirm it with Khrushchev. (Telegram 2441 from Moscow; ibid., 711.11-KE/4-1061) The following day Thompson cabled that Khrushchev had agreed. (Telegram 2459 from Moscow; ibid., 611.61/4-1161)↩