375. Telegram From Secretary of State Herter to the Department of State0
Cahto 93. Eyes only for Ambassador Moscow, eyes only for Chargé Berlin and USRO, eyes only for Gufler and Burgess. Paris pass USRO. From the Secretary.
In yesterday’s private meeting as reported last night we presented revised talking paper contained Cahto 90.1 Gromyko asked clarification on some details but said overall impression was that points represented no change in substance from previous Western positions. Ensuing discussion revolved about status of our rights, Soviet attitude toward its commitments and fate of people of West Berlin.
When I made point that there was hardly any use talking if we did not know where we stood on our rights, he seemed very anxious to move on to discussion of other elements, particularly the question of troops. None of us rose to the bait. When pressed to the corner on rights his remarks made it clear that there would be no legal basis for the new agreement they want other than right of occupation and the only justification would be that it would improve the situation (as they see it). The statement by Khrushchev in Pravda of June 8 which was read at meeting clearly worked to harden Gromyko’s attitude on rights from [Page 864] his frequent assertions on Saturday2 that while they wanted no mention of rights in the agreement, they did not take a negative stand toward them. Gromyko did say the question of rights could be dealt with after the character of arrangements on the other points was determined but he made clear that his position, like Khrushchev’s, is that the occupation regime in West Berlin must be terminated. Couve and Lloyd were firm maintaining Western position on rights.
I do not know if it is significant but at our private meetings Gromyko has steadily been increasing numbers his delegation present. For first two meetings in accordance the understanding reached to which rest have adhered, he arrived with only Zorin, Soldatov and interpreter. Thereafter he brought Malik with him in addition and yesterday Soviet Delegation composed of Gromyko, Zorin, Malik, Smirnov, Soldatov and two interpreters. Another point possible interest was that for first time in private meetings he spoke most of time in Russian (obviously desiring his non-English-speaking colleagues to hear his statements) though heretofore in private meetings he has spoken exclusively in English.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.00/6–959. Secret; Niact. Repeated to Bonn, Berlin, Moscow, Paris, and London.↩
- Document 372.↩
- See Document 369.↩