600.0012/1–654: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
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816. Eyes only for Secretary. This afternoon at three o’clock Molotov read and handed to me following memorandum:
“The Soviet Government has considered the proposal of Government of United States to exchange views on procedural questions connected with forthcoming conversations on question of atomic [Page 1324] energy1—namely, concerning the time, place and form of the conversations. The Soviet Government also considers it desirable to discuss the above-mentioned questions and agrees that discussion should be begun in Washington as was envisaged in proposal of Mr. Dulles.For its part Soviet Government is authorizing Ambassador Zarubin to take part in this discussion.”
Although as previously reported in my 793 on 31st2Molotov indicated rather clearly his personal preference for discussion to be inaugurated in Berlin, it is probable that decision to authorize Zarubin to discuss these procedural questions with you is based upon desire to have in advance as much indication of our thinking on that point as possible before you meet in Berlin. Unless it is planned that Vishinsky would return to Moscow, there is some interest in selection of Zarubin rather than the Deputy Foreign Minister to conduct these talks.