Office of the Historian

273. Notes on the Berlin Meeting1

Washington, January 18, 1962.

PRESENT

  • President
  • Secretary Rusk
  • Under Secretary Ball
  • Mr. Kohler
  • Mr. Bohlen
  • Mr. Hillenbrand
  • Secretary McNamara
  • Secretary Dillon
  • Attorney General Kennedy
  • Mr. Kaysen

There was some discussion of pen-pals.2 The President indicated to the group that he thought that German self-denial on grounds of visas or the like was not an appropriate basis for the U.S. to take over responsibility for German traffic. Mr. Kohler indicated he would convey this point to the Ambassadors in an appropriate way.

The President asked whether there was any sentiment in Germany supporting more recognition of the DDR. Mr. Bohlen indicated that he thought there was. Mr. Kohler was somewhat more reserved on this.

Mr. Kohler commented that the British judgment as indicated in the Ambassadorial meeting was the Soviet Union was not in a hurry, and that we ought to pace the Thompson-Gromyko talks accordingly.3 The President approved the instructions.4

Carl Kaysen5
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings with the President. Secret. Drafted on January 22.↩
  2. In particular the latest message, Document 272.↩
  3. A summary of the Ambassadorial Group meeting on January 18, at which Ormesby Gore gave this appraisal, was transmitted in telegram 1965 to Bonn, January 18. (Department of State, Central Files, 762.0221/1-1862)↩
  4. Reference is to the draft instructions sent to Thompson in telegram 1681 at 8:06 p.m. on January 18, which stated that the United States was disappointed by the last conversation with Gromyko and informed Thompson that it was not interested in accelerating the pace of the talks nor pushing them toward a break. (Ibid., 762.00/1-1862) This draft was subsequently superseded by the text sent in Document 274.↩
  5. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩