Office of the Historian

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

Geneva, June 18, 1959, 5 p.m.

Cahto 131. I met with Western Foreign Ministers at noon today. As usual Couve had with him Lucet and Laloy; Von Brentano had Grewe and Duckwitz plus interpreter; Lloyd had Rumbold, Hancock and Laskey; and I had with me Thompson and Merchant.

I opened by reading Khrushchev’s reply1 to the President. All agreed Gromyko’s position as already exposed would now be frozen since Khrushchev did not advance a single thought not already incorporated in Gromyko’s proposals.

Lloyd asked what our position should be if Gromyko were to accept our agreement2 in toto except for duration provision which he would then offer to set at two years with understanding four powers would examine position at expiration that period. No one present felt it likely that Gromyko would accept all other paragraphs. I pointed out that as now drawn the paper constituted minimum position from which we could not afford to be whittled.

Lloyd then asked if Gromyko proved negative at private meeting this afternoon should we not suggest an immediate recess for a month. Von Brentano and Couve emphatically agreed as did I. It was further agreed that Lloyd would broach this to Gromyko at lunch he is giving him today placing suggestion on legitimate grounds Couve’s engagements.

Assuming Gromyko accepts recess after consulting Moscow, we were agreed [it] desirable to avoid final plenary but would accept if Gromyko asked for it. In any event the text of the Western proposal would be given out publicly before recessing. We will meet again following private session at Gromyko’s villa this afternoon.

Since dictating above I have received word from Lloyd that Gromyko asked for postponement today’s private meeting until tomorrow afternoon. Lloyd was unsuccessful in advancing meeting until morning. Subject of recess was not broached at lunch.

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/6–1859. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Merchant.↩
  2. See Document 403.↩
  3. Regarding the Western proposal of June 16, see footnote 1, Document 396.↩