Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIV, Berlin Crisis, 1961–1962

136. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, August 31, 1961, 5:45 p.m.

SUBJECT

• East German Threats against Air Corridors to Berlin

PARTICIPANTS

• The Secretary
• Mr. Mikhail N. Smirnovsky, Chargé of the Soviet Embassy
• Mr. Oleg M. Sokolov, employee, Soviet Embassy
• Mr. John C. Guthrie, Director, Office of Soviet Union Affairs

The Secretary expressed his appreciation to Mr. Smirnovsky for coming in on such short notice. The Secretary stated that he wished to say a few words on behalf of the President concerning the Soviet note of August 23 and our reply thereto concerning air access to Berlin.² He noted that our reply to the Soviet note had come from the three Western Powers and he wished to be certain that the Soviets have a copy of the White House statement of August 24,³ a copy of which the Secretary thereupon handed Mr. Smirnovsky.

The Secretary continued that he had asked Mr. Smirnovsky to come in because we have noticed a number of East German statements which give rise to a belief that the East German regime may be contemplating some action involving the air corridors connecting West Germany and Berlin. The President, he said, had asked him to point out to the Soviet Government that the United States, under well-established legal authority and procedures, considers the entire air traffic between West Germany and Berlin as an integral whole, a unity. Therefore any attempt by the East Germans or by the Soviets to interfere with this traffic would be considered by the United States an aggressive act and an illegal violation of existing arrangements.

The Secretary directed Mr. Smirnovsky’s attention to the final paragraph of our reply to the Soviet note of August 23. He stated that he was at this time reinforcing these statements because of the statements made by East German officials regarding the air corridors. The United States Government, the Secretary said, hopes that the Soviet Union also recognizes our position regarding the legality and propriety of this air traffic and that the Soviet Government and East Germans will avoid any form of action against existing traffic in the corridor. In any such event, the United States reserves to itself the full right to undertake any action which it considers necessary to preserve the freedom of access to Berlin.

The Secretary stated that he wished to add the following general comment. We have supposed that both the Soviet Government and the Western Powers anticipate that at some stage there will be discussions regarding Germany and Berlin. We also understand it to be Mr. Khrushchev’s view that such negotiations ought not to be held in any systematic way prior to the West German elections. We are very much concerned, however, that unilateral actions which might be taken or considered prior to such negotiations could greatly increase the tensions and dangers which already exist in regard to the problems of Germany and Berlin. We would find it difficult to understand how a responsible government could permit such actions to increase danger at a time when it is the duty of all of us not to let these matters go beyond control. I would conclude, the Secretary said, by repeating our expectation that no action will be taken to prevent access to Berlin in any form.

Mr. Smirnovsky said that he had no comment to make but would report the Secretary’s remarks to his government.

The Secretary told Mr. Smirnovsky that we had inquired through our Embassy in Moscow whether Foreign Minister Gromyko was planning to attend the forthcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly. We have been informed that the composition of the Soviet delegation to the General Assembly has not yet been decided upon and the Secretary asked Mr. Smirnovsky if he knew the answer to his question. Mr. Smirnovsky replied in the negative.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/8-3161. Secret. Drafted by Guthrie and approved in S on September 8.
2. For texts of these notes, see Documents on Germany, 1944-1985, pp. 783-786.
3. For text of the White House statement warning the Soviet Union against interference with free access to Berlin, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1961, pp. 568-569.