80. Memorandum for the Record1
SUBJECT
- Conversation with Jaromir Pribyl, First Secretary at the Czechoslovakian Embassy
Pribyl came in to see me today; I had talked with him from time to time in my previous position at the State Department and he said he wanted to renew the contact.
His main purpose was obviously to enlist White House help for favorable US policy decisions on matters pending with Czechoslovakia.
On the question of monetary gold and claims, he said that his government knew it was unrealistic to expect these two issues to be separated. His government is willing to renegotiate the agreement previously reached between the US and Czechoslovakia. They knew of course that some proposals had been ready last August and that “events”2 at that time had delayed their submission to the Czechoslovaks. Thereafter the advent of the new Administration had further delayed matters. The Czechs would like to have new US proposals as soon as possible to see what they can do to solve this longstanding issue.
Turning to trade, Pribyl noted the importance to his country of having open and extensive relations with the US and other Western countries, especially in regard to trade. His Embassy had become aware of moves in the Congress for the granting of a partial form of MFN to Czechoslovakia. While this would not be fully satisfactory, the Czechs saw it as a move toward full MFN. They fear that the position of the State Department on this proposal is “ambiguous.” The Czechoslovaks feel that the opportunity should be grasped lest the mood in Congress change or other events supervene.
I told Pribyl that I was of course familiar with his governmentʼs views on these matters. I pointed out that the new Administration had only been in office for two months and had not had an opportunity to examine these problems at a high level. He said he understood. I added that perhaps when a new American Ambassador is appointed to Prague3 there will be an opportunity to review the issues Pribyl had raised, although I could not of course give him any assurances that decisions fully satisfactory to him would be reached.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 672, Country Files—Europe, Czechoslovakia, Vol. I Jan 69–31 Jan 70. Limited Official Use. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum reads: “Mr Kissinger.” Copies were sent to Ash and Walsh.↩
- Reference is to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.↩
- Beam departed his ambassadorial post on March 5. His successor, Malcolm Toon, was appointed May 13, and presented his credentials on July 31.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩