Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVII, Eastern Europe

167. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson¹

Washington, September 1, 1968, 0344Z.

CAP 82331. Subject: Rusk-Dobrynin meeting. State 231374.²

1. Soviet Amb Dobrynin at his request called on Secretary at home evening Aug 31 shortly before 8 pm EDT. Dobrynin’s oral communication was in effect official message in response to Secretary’s request for assurance from the Soviets regarding Rumania and the Secretary’s warning on Berlin.

2. Dobrynin said that fears and rumors regarding Soviet military moves against Rumania were completely without foundation and also that there would be no such moves against Berlin.

3. Regarding Berlin, however, Dobrynin said that Tag der Heimat was kind of demonstration in Berlin that created problems for the Soviets which US should take seriously into account.

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Czech Crisis. Secret. Received at the LBJ Ranch on August 31 at 11:01 p.m., CDT.
2. Telegram 231374, September 1, provided a summary of the August 30 Rusk-Dobrynin conversation and the August 31 Leddy-Bogdan conversation to NATO capitals. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–1 COMBLOC–CZECH)