663.001/5–1653: Telegram
No. 867
The Acting
Secretary of State to the Embassy
in the United Kingdom1
7439. For Dowling only. Deptel 74382 drafted in terms to permit your showing to your French and UK colleagues. For this reason we did not mention authority which we have to sign long treaty as is if changes impossible and in order prevent break-up of meeting with onus on West. Therefore should Soviets at any time make it unmistakably clear that they will break up meeting unless we agree to discuss long treaty without reopening agreed articles you [Page 1865] are authorized to negotiate with view obtaining what you can on unagreed articles.
You are authorized to act likewise in unlikely case Soviets at any time should move immediate conclusion of long draft treaty.
In both cases preferable, if you think time available, to consult Department but this should not be done at serious risk of Soviet walk-out.
While it is obvious that our negotiating latitude may be largely conditioned by Soviet tactics and while this telegram is intended give you that latitude which may be necessary to prevent break-up of meeting with West bearing onus, bear in mind Secretary’s instruction that we make wholehearted effort in support of short draft and should these efforts be unsuccessful that we make determined effort to amend Article 35.