285. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State 0
2204. I believe Soviets will make strong effort at Geneva FM meeting to insure that Summit meeting takes place. Possibility exists they will endeavor to demonstrate reasonableness by reaching agreement on some specific subject. Most likely items would appear to be either Berlin question or atomic testing prohibition. Alternative approach might be to present some far-reaching scheme which would be full of bugs from our point of view such as withdrawal American troops from Europe but which would contain sufficient attractive provisions that we could scarcely refuse to discuss them at Summit. Suggest that at meeting Western FM’s immediately prior conference might be useful to reach agreement that Ministers would refrain from any substantive comment on surprise Soviet proposals until Western Ministers have opportunity to study implications and coordinate their attitude.
While Khrushchev’s indication to Montgomery1 of his willingness forego separate peace treaty may have been merely effort split British from other Western powers, I suspect Soviets have had second thoughts about advisability separate treaty. Now seems less likely than before that they could obtain signature non-bloc countries such as India and Egypt. Moreover their position that following separate peace treaty with East Germany Western rights in Berlin would be extinguished could place them in difficult situation where any incident stirred up by East Germans could face them with demands to implement their Warsaw Pact commitment.