Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

600.0012/12–653: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union¹

top secret
niact

Bermuda, December 6, 1953.

Dulte 5. Eyes only Bohlen from Secretary. Supplemental to my 6 replying to your 663.²

1. President has accepted UN Secretary General invitation address General Assembly 1600 hours Tuesday New York time.

2. President’s acceptance based on three points:

(a) He has been committed for some time to discuss publicly atomic warfare danger;

(b) He considers General Assembly excellent forum to make an address which will be neither boastful nor truculent in tone;

(c) He is anxious to use international forum as basis for suggesting serious private talks with Russians on whole atomic armaments problems.

3. His talk will analyze present atomic threat to civilization and will specifically state US willingness to talk privately with Russians and others interested. These talks can proceed under UN auspices or in regular diplomatic channels.

4. President will also propose a method of allocating from US and Soviet stockpiles atomic material for peacetime purposes and as means of starting total atomic disarming.

5. Stress to Molotov that purpose of speech is to initiate serious talks, if possible, and not merely to propagandize. You may urge him make positive response, if you think useful.

Dulles

1. Repeated to the Department of State as Dulte 5.
2. In telegram 5 to Moscow niact, eyes only for Bohlen, Dec. 5 (repeated for information to the Department of State as Dulte 2), Dulles had informed the Ambassador that he was to “stand ready to advise Molotov orally in re Frank’s letter confirming lines one and two December 8.” The reference is to a letter which Dulles sent to Moscow on Oct. 9; see p. 1226. In telegram 663 from Moscow (niact, pass Bermuda eyes only for Secretary), Dec. 6, Bohlen asked for clarification as to the precise procedures for contacting Molotov. Dulles replied in telegram 6 from Bermuda, Dec. 6 (niact, eyes only from Secretary to Bohlen, repeated to the Department as telegram Dulte 4), that Molotov was to be contacted immediately, and also clarified the language to be employed. The three telegrams are in file 600.0012/12–553 and 12–653.