Office of the Historian

210. Telegram From the Office of the Permanent Representative at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to the Department of State1

Paris, May 29, 1957—8 p.m.

Polto 2859. London For USDEL Disarmament. NAC discussion disarmament began 10:15 a.m. today and concluded 5:15 p.m. Morning began with full statement by Moch and Stassen analyzing history and present status disarmament negotiations. Stassen concluded with proposal along lines Deptel 47342 that time had come for NAC to consider manner and form in which it should participate in preparation western position on European-Russian inspection zone. Statements were warmly received and provoked wide variety of comments and questions which Stassen and Moch undertook to answer in afternoon session. Full report above discussion follows separately.3

Regarding further consultation on disarmament, council agreed two distinct elements involved:

1. Keeping abreast of developments and trends in sub-committee negotiations.

For this purpose council agreed ad referendum that western four should send telegraphic report to Secretary General for NAC at least weekly, and more often if developments warrant, summarizing developments and trend. This report to be considered by council at each meeting and comments, questions, and suggestions sent to London as situation required. To supplement written reports, heads or members western four delegations should come to Paris from time to time for discussions with NAC and NAC might wish, on occasion, send representative to London for discussion with western four.

2. Participating in development western position on European-Russian inspection zone.

On this point council agreed, at instance Stassen, who pulled together various suggestion made by others that following questions should be put to governments:

(a)
Are governments willing to contemplate in principle European-Russian inspection zone as part of world-wide first-step agreement?
(b)
If so, do they wish western four to put forward specific suggestion for their consideration? (Submission suggested zone by western four had been proposed by Netherlands and strongly supported by [Page 565] Belgium. Stassen emphasized that he did not think western four would wish to put forward suggested zone unless requested by NAC to do so and unless there was agreement in principle indicated above. He also pointed out that zones previously put forward by USSR and US had no further standing, Russian proposal being totally unacceptable and US proposal having been put forward for tactical purposes which had already been served.)
(c)
If governments did not wish western four put forward suggested zone, how did they wish to proceed?

Council agreed attempt get government positions above questions by June 5 meeting, view urgency NATO action.

Finally, council agreed on brief communiqué to effect that Stassen and Moch had brought council up to date on status of problem of reduction and control of armaments.

Perkins
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 330.13/5–2957. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Bonn, The Hague, Ottawa, Oslo, and Brussels, and pouched to all other NATO capitals.↩
  2. Document 208.↩
  3. The discussion was reported in Polto circulars 14 and 15 from London, May 30. (Both Department of State, Central Files, 330.13/5–3057)↩