600.0012/1–2054
Memorandum for the Record, by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)
- Subject:
- Next Step in Bilateral Procedural Discussions with the Soviets on Atomic Negotiations
At a meeting in his office, with General Smith, Mr. MacArthur and myself present, the Secretary suggested that as the next step in our atomic negotiations with the Soviets we attempt to have the US plan implementing the President’s December 8 proposal set down succinctly in writing; that this paper then be discussed with the British, Canadians and French (also possibly the Belgians and South Africans) with a view to securing their concurrence in it; that it then be transmitted through diplomatic channels to the Soviet Government in a concurrent exchange, the Soviets having been asked similarly to prepare a memorandum outlining their proposal.
The Secretary’s thought was that if the British and Canadians (and possibly French) concurred in this procedure he could make the suggestion to Molotov in Berlin. The time required to secure the concurrence of the other governments in our paper could be gained by the Secretary explaining to Molotov that, whereas preparatory work was going forward in Washington, this was a matter in which he would personally participate and hence it would be impossible for us to have our memorandum finally completed for transmission to the Soviet Government until after his (the Secretary’s) return to Washington from Berlin. The Secretary said that this procedure would conform to the President’s desire that the negotiations with the Russians on this subject be kept on a bilateral basis as long as possible in the belief that this held the most fruitful prospects for progress.
Those present agreed with the Secretary’s plan and the Secretary then asked Admiral Strauss to come over to his office with a [Page 1348] view to discussing it with him and ascertaining whether this constituted a practical method. The Secretary also said that he was lunching with Secretaries Wilson and Humphrey and would discuss it with them.1
Shortly thereafter Admiral Strauss arrived. General Smith and Mr. MacArthur had departed.
The Secretary informed Admiral Strauss in detail of his talk yesterday with Zarubin.2 He then outlined his suggested plan and asked if the Admiral thought it would be feasible to prepare our paper and secure the agreement of the other governments concerned within a month. Admiral Strauss felt that there would be no difficulty in meeting the time limit in so far as the US preparation of its paper was concerned but expressed no definite opinion as to the length of time required to secure other government’s agreement.
After some further discussion it was agreed that, subject to Secretary Wilson’s approval, I should ask Ambassadors Makins and Heeney this afternoon when they called on me to receive a report of the Zarubin talk yesterday with the Secretary if the UK and Canada would be agreeable to proceeding on the foregoing line. It was also agreed that I would ask their views as to the desirability of similarly consulting the French but that in my conversation this afternoon with the French Chargé I would not raise this particular point.
In response to a question from Admiral Strauss as he was leaving, the Secretary said that General Smith would be the responsible officer in the Department on all conversations on this general subject during his absence in Berlin. The Secretary also said that Mr. Bonbright should assist General Smith in my stead during my absence.
After lunch the Secretary telephoned me to say that Secretary Wilson had given his approval to proceeding along the line proposed by the Secretary.
- Dulles met with Secretary of Defense Wilson and Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey at a Pentagon luncheon where “Secretary Wilson agreed on the desirability of this procedure which I told him had previously been agreed to by Admiral Strauss at a meeting held a few minutes earlier.” (Memorandum by Dulles of conference with Secretary Wilson (Defense) and Secretary Humphrey (Treasury) at the Pentagon, Jan. 20, 1954, 600.0012/1–2054. A copy of this memorandum is also in the Eisenhower Library, John Foster Dulles papers.)↩
- See telegram 487 to Moscow, Jan. 19, Supra.↩