Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume VII, Arms Control and Disarmament

347. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State⁰

Moscow, July 24, 1963, 9 p.m.

311. From Harriman. Hailsham and I had two and one-half hour discussion with Gromyko today July 24.

After lengthy argument, Gromyko accepted our fallback position¹ for paragraph in communiqué on nonaggression, with the exception of one word “hope”. He insisted that there must be indication of “purpose” in holding the discussions. He pointed out that there have been so many years of discussion that a communiqué would be meaningless without an indication of a purpose. I am satisfied that we should agree on this point. I have gone so far in the argument that I am convinced we would lose more in our relations with Soviet Union than the value of possible gain we might make with our allies by carrying argument further. With the deletion of the words “the manner of” we are in no way committing our allies.

In any event, Gromyko gave in reluctantly on other points. He accepted our changes in second paragraph, which incidentally we agreed should be a sentence at the end of a single paragraph.

Nonaggression paragraph in communiqué will accordingly read as follows and I request authority accept it. All here agree. You will notice that in substituting “purpose” for “hope”, subsequent words have been rearranged because of problem in Russian translation.

“The heads of the three delegations discussed the Soviet proposal relating to a pact of non-aggression between the participants in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the participants in the Warsaw Treaty. The three governments have agreed fully to inform their respective allies in the two organizations concerning these talks and to consult with them about continuing discussions on this question with the purpose of achieving agreement satisfactory to all. A brief exchange of views also took place with regard to other measures, directed at a relaxation of tension.”

Gromyko agreed with our proposal for signing in Moscow by SecState with a number of Senators. He made an argument for the President’s presence which I explained away in accordance with instructions. He also asked whether President would come to some other place in Europe. This I explained in a friendly way would not be in our mutual interests.

We are meeting at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon July 25 and if your approval nonaggression paragraph given,² and as soon as details settled, we will initial treaty.

We agreed that communiqué and text treaty would then be distributed, embargoed for release 10:00 PM Moscow time, in three capitals.

Septels on balance communiqué and test ban matters.³

Kohler

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 US/Harriman. Secret; Flash. Received at 4 p.m.
1. See Document 346.
2. This authorization came in telegram 322 to Moscow, July 24, 9:44 p.m., drafted by Rusk and cleared by Ball, Foster, Thompson, and Bundy. The authorization applied also to the portion of the communiqué included in telegram 313, cited in footnote 4 below.
3. The balance of the draft communiqué is in telegram 313 from Moscow, July 24, received at 5:40 p.m. The other telegram mentioned is telegram 316, Document 348.