Office of the Historian

70. Telegram From the Department of State toAll Diplomatic Posts0

Washington, May 18, 1961, 3:40 p.m.

1823. At 10 AM Washington time Friday, May 19, President plans announce meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna June 3 and 4. If this announcement made,1 missions may in their discretion draw on following background in discussions with Government and public leaders where appropriate.

Purpose of meeting is to take advantage of convenient opportunity for first personal contact between two leaders and general exchange of views. Idea that such a meeting might be useful when international atmosphere [Page 138] was right first discussed through diplomatic channels earlier this year, but following developments in Laos and Cuba US had dropped idea from active consideration. Soviet Government recently reopened question of meeting and agreement was reached to proceed at this time.

Mission officials should emphasize, in any discussions they may have, that meeting will not seek to negotiate or reach agreement on major international problems which it is recognized involve the interests of many countries and on which there must be full consultation between US and its allies.

Bowles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.61/5-1861. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Boster and cleared with Davis, Bohlen, Guthrie (SOV), and the White House. Also sent to the Mission at Berlin.↩
  2. For text of the announcement, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pp. 569-570.↩