210. Telegram From the Delegation to the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee to the Department of State0

Disto 683. Godber and Wright told Stelle this morning they deeply disturbed at message they had received from British Emb in Wash describing, on basis talk with Foster, substance new US position on test ban. Their particular concern is with what they understand is provision that there should be a minimum of one foreigner per eight hour shift at control posts in USSR.1 Godber said such a provision would vitiate whole political value of acceptance “national stations” concept. Also said his understanding from US-UK technical talks was that Sov posts could be excluded from system and system could still have satisfactory detection capabilities.

Godber feels so strongly he is flying back to London this morning to see Home in effort to get Macmillan to intercede with President.

Godber said if US would not move on provision in question, he would personally recommend that UK not support new US position even if this resulted in public split.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/8-362. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution.
  2. Foster told Hood in a meeting on August 2 that Dean’s instructions included continued insistence “on a form of international control for control posts.” This could range from international staffing to staffing by nationals of the countries “but with some form of international representation at each post.” The exact form of international representation was not spelled out in the U.S. position, but “one might think in terms of one representative or ‘prisoner’ for each post or possibly one to cover each 8-hour shift.” Upon further questioning by Hood, Foster stated that international representation “could serve as a deterrent to spoofing and that the precedental value, in terms of other disarmament agreements, of maintaining the principle of international control was important.” (Memorandum of conversation by Goodby, August 3; Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/8-362)