Office of the Historian

214. Memorandum of a Conversation, Palais des Nations, Geneva, July 21, 1955, 10:45 a.m.1

USDEL/MC/12
Geneva, July 21, 1955, 10:45 a.m.

PARTICIPANTS

  • United States
    • The Secretary
    • Amb. Bohlen
  • USSR
    • Mr. Molotov
    • Mr. Gromyko
    • Mr. Troyanovski

SUBJECT

  • Draft Directive

The Secretary accompanied by Ambassador Bohlen called on Mr. Molotov this morning before the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Mr. Gromyko and Mr. Troyanovski were also present.

The Secretary said he wished to give Mr. Molotov a quick preview of the directive which the three other powers would present at this morning’s meeting. Mr. Troyanovski translated into Russian the draft directive.2 Mr. Molotov, after hearing the translation, said that this would require study as it was somewhat complicated and that the Soviet delegation had been thinking of a directive of a somewhat more general nature. In reply to the Secretary’s question, Mr. Molotov said that they would have in rough a proposed draft of their own which he read.3 The directive in essence: that the four heads of government instruct the Foreign Ministers to continue their examination of a European security system which would facilitate the reduction of international tension, strengthen confidence among nations, and facilitate the problem of German unification. The directive would instruct the Ministers to consider and work out a security treaty for Europe, or at least a part of Europe.

[Page 434]

The Secretary then inquired how they should proceed at this morning’s meeting. Mr. Molotov said he thought the respective draft directives might be presented and that they could exchange views on them. The Secretary said he thought time would be needed to consider these drafts and suggested that they should hold a brief session this morning and possibly reconvene at 3:00 before the heads of government meeting. They could have this morning an initial exchange of views but time would be needed to think over the proposals. Mr. Molotov agreed but said he thought that the Ministers this morning should try to work on a formula which would bring the respective positions closer together. The Secretary said his first impression was that the Soviet draft had not intended to subordinate the problem of German reunification to that of European security. We believed the two questions should be considered as indicated in our draft on their merits, and separately.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/7–2155. Secret. Drafted by Bohlen.↩
  2. See footnote 3, Document 217.↩
  3. See footnote 2, ibid.↩