295. Memorandum of Conversation1
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GROMYKO OF THE SOVIET UNION
Following dinner I drew Mr. Gromyko aside for a brief private talk, in the course of which I raised the subject of Berlin.
I reminded Mr. Gromyko that I had spoken directly with Ambassador Dobrynin about the importance of Berlin as a “vital state interest” of [Page 762] the United States and that we expected everyone to recognize that fact. I accepted Ambassador Dobrynin’s subsequent message as a categorical statement that the Soviets would not move against Berlin. I said it was very important that there be no crisis on this matter because it would be a very grave matter indeed.
Mr. Gromyko stated clearly that the Soviet Union did not intend to move against Berlin and asked me whether I really thought they were planning to do so. I told him I accepted Soviet assurances on this point but did not wish to have a conversation with Mr. Gromyko without reiterating what I had said to Ambassador Dobrynin. Gromyko then said that the Soviet Union objects to the attempts of the Federal Republic of Germany to take over Berlin and indicated that they would continue to press on this point. I told him that it was important for West Berlin to have full contacts with the outside world and that it was perfectly natural for West Berlin to have close relations with the Federal Republic. I said I knew of nothing which the Federal Republic is doing in West Berlin which the East Germans are not doing to an even greater extent in East Berlin. I reaffirmed the tripartite responsibility for West Berlin. When I remonstrated with Gromyko about their démarche to the Dutch about a visit of the Dutch Prime Minister into Berlin he said this was because “the West Germans had arranged it”. I scoffed at this reason.
Although the Russians have given us a flat commitment about moving militarily on West Berlin, this sort of commitment is worth only what it is worth and we can take no comfort from the continued pressure on West German activities in Berlin.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 38–8. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Rusk. Rusk and Gromyko met in New York in conjunction with the opening of the 23d session of the UN General Assembly. An attached note from Read to Rusk, dated October 19, reads: “John Leddy recommends strongly that you dictate a brief note covering the assurances you got from Gromyko on Berlin, which you have mentioned to Leddy and Willy Brandt but not recorded as far as we know.”↩
- Initialed for Rusk above this typed signature by Deputy Executive Secretary John Walsh.↩