8. Nusup 1095 to Geneva, March 201
Following FYI excerpts relating nuclear tests from uncleared MemCon Secretary-Gromyko conversation luncheon March 18:
Secretary: BEGIN VERBATIM TEXT The US Govt is very serious with regard to the negotiations on the discontinuance of nuclear tests and hopes that an agreement can be obtained that will be in the interest of all parties concerned and will not affect their security. END VERBATIM TEXT.
Gromyko: BEGIN VERBATIM TEXT As to the question of nuclear tests, the Soviet Union has made very many concessions but has not seen a similar attitude on the part of its negotiating partners. Frankly [Typeset Page 61] speaking, the Soviet Government has gained the impression that its negotiating partners have been trying to be shrewd and to obtain an agreement that would be detrimental to Soviet interests. As the US knows, the Soviet Union has not been testing. Furthermore, there are instruments today which can detect any nuclear explosion in the world. Mr. Gromyko said that he did not [Facsimile Page 2] know whether the Secretary wanted to discuss the details of this particular problem. For his part, he did not insist on such a discussion but would be prepared to discuss these questions if the Secretary desired. In any event, Mr. Gromyko said, one should realize that if there should be no agreement, the Soviet Union would not be the only one to stand a loss. Such a development would harm everyone and, most of all, peace and the world situation at large. END VERBATIM TEXT.
UK briefed Washington.
- Excerpts of Rusk–Gromyko conversation on question of nuclear tests. Secret. 2 pp. Department of State, Central Files, 397.5611–GE/3–2061.↩