Office of the Historian

219. Telegram From the Delegation to the Conference on Laos to the Department of State0

Geneva, November 2, 1961, 7 p.m.

Confe 810. Eyes Only for the President from Harriman. Supplementing earlier message today (Confe 809),1 I had intended to mention on the telephone this morning if there had been time that there were two significant provisions already agreed to by Pushkin: first, that co-chairmen take responsibility for compliance with agreement by participating countries, the Soviets for Commie bloc, the British for the rest of us; second, Pushkin had agreed to include paragraph in 13-nation declaration that signatories undertake not to utilize Lao territory for interference in affairs of neighbors. This clearly covers both subversive as well as military action.

Pushkin has told me that when agreement is effective, corridor traffic through Laos to SVN will not be permitted. He has not admitted, but has not denied, that corridor traffic exists today. Incidentally, Souvanna Phouma has also agreed to do all he can to stop traffic.

This gives us extraordinarily direct and early opportunity to judge Soviet good faith after agreement goes into effect. Complaints against signatories do not necessarily have to be substantiated by ICC in order to permit us to take up question of violation directly with co-chairmen if we have evidence we consider valid.

I hope I have made it clear that in this strange trade to break down the troika principle, Soviets have demanded facade in return for the substance we insist upon. We have therefore had to accept less precise and at times odder language than in normal agreements. Yet, if we can get revised texts now submitted to Pushkin, we will have, I believe, what we went out to obtain—a commission functioning in all essential areas on majority basis with full right of minority expression.

I recognize difficulty Dept has had in deciphering the hieroglyphics, but truly we haven’t gone crazy here. Each step has been approved by the very competent and careful staff that has been given me. Canadian also is most meticulous as Green has his guard up.

I am grateful for your faith and support.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/11–261. Secret; Niact.↩
  2. Document 218.↩