Office of the Historian

82. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State0

Geneva, July 22, 1962, 1 a.m.

Secto 13. Eyes only President and Acting Secretary. No other distribution. Memos conversation with Gromyko and four Western Foreign Ministers coming separate telegrams.1

After considerable general discussion with Gromyko along well known lines, he wound up with rather stiff statement read from a piece of paper about Soviet determination to sign separate peace treaty. When his apparent threats were sharply rebuffed he retreated to statement that he had come to Geneva to attempt agreed solution. Same stiff line had been taken by him with Couve de Murville earlier in day. Gromyko did not offer a piece of paper but kept his remarks on oral plane.

I expect see Gromyko again tomorrow evening for more considered reply to his closing remarks. Four Foreign Ministers agreed we should not take excessively serious view Gromyko’s statements today but should continue talks. Soviet sources are hinting that Gromyko will make new proposals about Tuesday but no reliable indication thus far.

Do not believe I can report any significant change in regard to Berlin nor do I need further instructions at this point. It was consensus of Foreign Ministers that Soviets are maximizing pressures at this point to discover any chink in our armor on troop question and that it is essential to stand completely firm on this point. This seemed only chance to pull Soviets off separate peace treaty line. If despite this they should go ahead with separate peace treaty it was agreed firm stand on troops now would make them more cautious as to accompanying measures affecting our vital interests.

Four Western Foreign Ministers agreed to urgent review both political planning and sequence of events prior to military confrontation. I drew their attention specifically to consideration of Western political initiatives prior to possible separate peace treaty such as three-power [Page 237] demarche to Moscow pointing out that publicly announced separate peace treaty could in no way affect rights of West in West Berlin. Encouraging to find Couve participating fully in our discussion and got impression he continues to want to move toward rejoining Allies on Berlin and German questions.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/7–2262. Secret; Priority. Passed to the White House. According to another copy, this telegram was drafted by Rusk and cleared by Kohler. (Ibid., Conference Files: Lot 65 D 533, CF 2134) Rusk was in Geneva July 20–25 to attend the Conference on Laos.↩
  2. Sectos 14 and 16 from Geneva, July 22. (Ibid., Central Files, 762.00/7–2262 and 110.11–RU/7–2262) The memoranda of conversation on which the telegrams are based are ibid., Conference Files: Lot 65 D 533, CF 2136. At 8 p.m. Kohler, who was also in Geneva, telephoned Ball to say that they had just come out of a 2-hour and 40-minute meeting with Gromyko. When Ball asked if the meeting had been good or otherwise, Kohler replied “otherwise, quite seriously.” (Kennedy Library, Ball Papers, Telephone Conversations) Ball relayed this message to Bundy at 4:30 p.m. Washington time. (Ibid.)↩