548. Telegram 4663 From London1
Sent Department 4663, repeated information Geneva 127.
Embtel 4581. Nuclear Test Negotiations.
While we presume Department has been receiving British views on Geneva nuclear test negotiations from both British delegation and UK Embassy Washington, we believe we would be remiss if we failed to emphasize apparent strength and breadth of British attitudes toward March 19 Soviet proposal.
Government and other informed British elements are undoubtedly aware of dangers of accepting disarmament limitations or obligations that do not involve adequate controls. At same time public and political pressures are such in Britain today that we judge it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for government to resume nuclear testing, even small underground explosions below threshold proposed by us at Geneva. It seems clear therefore not only that British Government is under heavy pressure to accept latest proposal for moratorium on tests below threshold, In order to gain over-all test agreement, but also that there will be very little understanding or support in this country for us if we refuse negotiate on this basis.
In last few days many indications of British attitudes on this matter have been given me and various members of Embassy staff. These have included comments from government ministers and officials, members of Parliament, etc.
Parliamentary attitudes appear quite uniform, extending [Facsimile Page 2] across board through Conservatives, Liberals and Labour Parties. And press comments have been likewise uniform.
- Source: U.K. views on Soviet proposal for test moratorium. Secret. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles-Herter Series.↩