Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Berlin Crisis, 1958–1959, Volume VIII

369. Telegram From Secretary of State Herter to the Department of State⁰

Geneva, June 6, 1959, 10 p.m.

Cahto 79. Bonn eyes only for Ambassador. London eyes only for Ambassador. Moscow eyes only for Chargé. Paris eyes only for Ambassador. Berlin eyes only for Gufler. Paris pass USRO—eyes only for Ambassador Burgess. Following is summary uncleared memorandum of private meeting at Lloyd’s Villa 11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. devoted to Berlin.

Discussion revolved around rights, troop numbers and separate treaty. We stressed need to know where we stood on rights. Gromyko repeatedly stated Soviets wanted no mention of rights in agreement. Under repeated pressing he still would not explain Sov position on what effect a new agreement would have on our rights.

Regarding access, he took position this could be easily settled if status of West Berlin agreed upon. He pictured our talking paper¹ as backward step, and as take or leave it approach and tried to elicit more details our position. In discussion of troop levels Gromyko denied they were interested in naming figure but said our proposal for ceiling was backward step. He then indicated that level of troops would be political not technical decision.

Pressed by Secretary and others for reaffirmation of Soviet recognition of Western rights in Berlin, Gromyko said that whatever agreement is reached will be observed fully until German reunification is achieved, that question of Western rights should not be involved and that, in fact, failure to raise this issue would be in interest of West. He would not say that this would preclude signature of a separate peace treaty with the GDR. Soviets were not, he said, suggesting either affirmation or denial of Western rights. An agreement reached among the four re Berlin would be observed regardless of any other agreements. Continued Western insistence on question of rights elicited only the response that Soviet Union does not deny the existence of such rights—but Gromyko continued to insist that any agreement on Berlin should contain no reference to them.

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/6–659. Secret. Repeated to Bonn, London, Moscow, Paris, and Berlin. A detailed 13-page memorandum of this meeting, US/MC/86, is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1340.
1. See footnote 3, Document 358.