153. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Kohler) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Merchant)1
SUBJECT
- Khrushchev’s Attendance at General Assembly
In connection with arrangements which must be made preparatory to the arrival of Khrushchev at New York, particularly with regard to security, it is recommended that a decision be taken whereby Khrushchev would be limited in his movements to Manhattan. This [Page 307] would greatly facilitate security arrangements and would, it appears to us, reflect the United States Government’s attitude toward the presence of Khrushchev in the United States at this time.
Decision in this sense with regard to Khrushchev would also facilitate limitation of the movements of other possible controversial figures who are heads of government and who might decide to come to New York for the General Assembly.
For your information, we understand that Khrushchev, traveling neither as head of state or head of government, but as head of a General Assembly delegation and not at the invitation of the United States Government, would normally be granted a G–2 visa. If it were deemed desirable, the visa requirement for him could, of course, be waived.
It is recommended that the restriction be communicated by USUN to the Soviet Permanent Delegation at New York (in order further to underline the UN character of Khrushchev’s visit) with an aide-mémoire as a matter of record along the lines of the attached draft. This communication would not be delivered until after our receipt of Ambassador Thompson’s report of his further action with regard to the RB–47.2
The USUN officer would make it clear that this restriction applies to the special route established for movement of Permanent Delegation personnel from Manhattan to Glen Cove as well as to all other areas outside Manhattan Island. Thus, if Khrushchev should have in mind travel to the Glen Cove residence, advance notification would be required just as would travel through or over any of the other closed areas surrounding Manhattan Island.
In the meantime, pending publication of our communication, it seems important that any official public comment with regard to Khrushchev’s presence in New York stress that he is visiting the United Nations and not the United States. (I have already spoken with Andy Berding about this point.)
Representatives of SY are understood to be planning to talk with New York security officials next Tuesday. To assure that the security arrangements will be in accord with the Department’s wishes, it is necessary to be able to communicate these wishes at an early stage in the local officials’ planning.
[Page 308]Recommendation:
That the foregoing limitation and method of approach to the Soviets be approved.3
- Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 59, Conference Files: FRC 83–0068, CF 1773. Secret. Drafted by McSweeney and sent to Merchant through S/S; concurred in by IO. The source text is an unsigned copy which was attached to a September 7 memorandum from Merchant to the Secretary.↩
- Documentation on the shooting down of an American plane by the Soviet Union on July 1 is scheduled for publication in a forthcoming volume.↩
- Attached to the memorandum was a draft aide-mémoire to the Soviet Delegation, not printed.↩