387. Memorandum of telephone conversation between Cleveland and Ball, October 241
Cleveland—Adlai is kicking like a steer over this statement.
Ball—Why? It is a good statement.
Cleveland—I think so too. He wants to indicate some softening of our position. At the moment of agreeing to talks. He interprets this letter as saying that we won’t even talk unless we get guarantees against the further introduction of offensive weapons and discontinuance of development work, and UN observers, and all the rest of it. I say no. We are saying (a) we are prepared to talk but (b) we don’t like the basis of talking that you suggested so here is the basis of talking that we reiterate from the position that we have already taken through Stevenson. He doesn’t like it, and I think his recommendations will probably be that we hold it overnight the question of what the President [Typeset Page 1178] says so he can argue about it. I asked him to call either you or me when Thant gets through. He will start speaking in a few minutes, and I will do that. I will wait it out.
Ball—All right, I am going to call the President if he wants to make a big issue out of it.
Cleveland—At this moment, he is in a mood to make a considerable issue of it. He says all this will ruin us and everybody will think we don’t want to talk, etc. If you can trass (?) it with what he wanted to say.
Ball—All right. When U Thant gets through speaking, why don’t you come on up.
Cleveland—All right, I will.
- Stevenson’s position on U.S. statement before the United Nations. No classification marking. 1 p. DOS, Ball Papers: Lot 74 D 272, Telcons—Cuba.↩