Office of the Historian

204. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Regional Organizations0

Washington, November 25, 1961, 3 p.m.

Topol 803. Paris also for Emb. References: Topol 800; Polto 700.1 Ini-tial reading of Kekkonen–Khrushchev communique2 (which assume available to posts from press) suggests Kekkonen may have been at least temporarily successful in standing off Soviet demands on Finland for military consultations. However, communique itself leaves threat future military consultations still hanging and should be read in conjunction with press reports of Khrushchev’s remarks at luncheon for Kekkonen which indicate Soviet objectives remain unaltered. Soviet deferral of military consultations with Finns does not relieve pressure on Finland and through Finland on Scandinavia. Department therefore continues desire discussion in NAC but would agree to postponement not later than Thursday Nov 30. In meantime you should take opportunity to place onus on Norwegian and Dane PermReps to report to Council on their assessment of communique, knowledge of content Novosibirsk talks and what if any quid pro quo given Soviets by Kekkonen. You may remind them of our previously expressed view they should take lead and say we acquiescing in their suggestions re timing NATO meeting to permit them do so.

Ref FYI paragraph in Topol 800. USRO may wish call attention to Adenauer–Kennedy communique which refutes Soviet charges of aggressive intent by NATO and FRG.3

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 375/11–2561. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Christensen and Rewinkel, cleared by RA and EUR, and approved by Burdett. Repeated to Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, London, Bonn, and Moscow.↩
  2. In Topol 800 to Paris, November 24, the Department of State instructed the Representative to NATO to impress the seriousness of Soviet actions upon the other member states and seek a common response. (Ibid., 375/11–2461) Polto 700 from Paris, November 25, reported views of the NATO Permanent Representatives on holding a special session to discuss developments in Finland. (Ibid., 375/11–2561)↩
  3. For text of the November 25 communique, see The New York Times, November 26, 1961.↩
  4. For text of the November 22 communique, see Department of State Bulletin, December 11, 1961, pp. 967–968.↩