2. Editorial Note

During spring 1957, the Department of State developed plans to hold a conference of the United States Chiefs of Mission in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries.

On April 5, circular telegram 807 to Budapest, Bucharest, Moscow, Prague, Bonn, Paris, Warsaw, and Belgrade presented an informal agenda for such a meeting and invited comments from the recipients. Based on the responses, the Department transmitted a revised agenda in circular telegram 843, April 19, to the same addressees. These telegrams and responses to them are in Department of State, Central File 120.1451.

The work of an interagency Committee on Radio Broadcasting Policy, chaired by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs E. Allen Lightner, in preparation for the conference, was described in Lightner’s memorandum of April 25 to Elbrick. (Department of State, EUR/SOV Files: Lot 69 D 162, EE Chiefs of Mission Conferences, 1952–1958) According to Lightner, the committee was established in February 1957 to provide “standards for ensuring that US controlled broadcasting media carry out the objectives of US foreign policy,” “definitions of the roles of the respective broadcasting media, including VOA and covert-supported media,” and “priorities as between these media in terms of geographic areas and target groups.”

A package of materials entitled “Conference Documents of Mr. Clarence B. Randall” for the Eastern European Chiefs of Mission Conference is in Eisenhower Library, CFEP Chairman Records. The package includes a nine-page paper, dated April 1, 1957, entitled “RFE Broadcasting Policy Toward Bulgaria.”

The conference was held in Vienna, May 10–11, 1957. The final agenda for the conference included the following: (I) The Current Political Situation in Each Country, (II) Soviet Intentions, Long Term [Page 3] and Short Term, with Particular Reference to Eastern European Developments, (III) U.S. Economic Relations with the Bloc Countries, Including Aid Prospects Where Applicable, (IV) Role and Effectiveness of Radio Broadcasts to Eastern European Countries (VOA, RFE, and RL) and Prospects for Information Activities, (V) East-West Exchange Programs, and (VI) Refugee Problems, Including Defection and Redefection. Participating in the conference were the following: from the Department of State, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs C. Burke Elbrick, Director of the Office of Eastern European Affairs Edward L. Freers, Director of the Office of European Regional Affairs Benson E.L. Timmons, John Horner of the Office of the Under Secretary, Frederick Merrill of the East-West Exchanges Staff, and Thomas B. Larson of the Office of the Special Assistant for Intelligence; from the White House, the President’s Special Assistant Clarence B. Randall; from the United States Information Agency, Assistant Director for Europe William L. Clark; from the Office of the Special Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ambassador George W. Perkins and First Secretary William C. Trueheart; from the Embassy in France, First Secretary Walter J. Stoessel, Jr.; from the Consulate General at Munich, Consul General Edward Page, Jr.; from the Embassy in the Federal Republic of Germany, Ambassador David K.E. Bruce and Second Secretary David R. Thomson; from the Embassy in Austria, Ambassador Llewellyn E. Thompson, Minister-Counselor David W. Wainhouse, and First Secretary Alfred Puhan, who served as secretary of the conference; from the Embassy in Yugoslavia, Ambassador James W. Riddleberger; from the Embassy in Prague, Ambassador U. Alexis Johnson and Counselor Harold C. Vedeler; from the Legation in Hungary, Chargé N. Spencer Barnes and Second Secretary Anton Nyerges; from the Embassy in Poland, Ambassador Joseph E. Jacobs and First Secretary Richard G. Johnson; from the Legation in Romania, Minister Robert E. Thayer and Second Secretary Edward E. Segall; and from the Embassy in the Soviet Union, Chargé Richard Davis.

A copy of the final agenda and a list of participants, as well as a 10-page summary of the conclusions reached and the recommendations made at the conference, were sent to the Department as enclosures to despatch 1111 from Vienna, May 13. (Ibid., Central Files, 120.1463/5–1357) A 45-page summary of the discussion at the meeting was sent to the Department as an enclosure to despatch 1106 from Vienna, May 10. (Ibid., 120.1463/5–1057) Two briefing papers on the agenda items, prepared by the Legation in Hungary, as well as two other papers it prepared for possible discussion, entitled “Consular Affairs” and “Economic Situation in Hungary”, were sent to the Department as enclosures to despatch 561 from Budapest, May 16. (Ibid., 120.1463/5–1657)