397. Telegram From the Embassy in Italy to the Department of State1
1858. Department pass NASA, USIA, and FCC. Joint meeting summer residence 6 PM yesterday attended by Dryden, Frutkin, Hornig, Townsend, Malone, Tepper, Stelter, Porter, Burton, Johnson, Burnett, Blagonravov, Klokov, Bugayev, Evseyev, Milovieov, Stashevskiy, Krupin, Talyzin and interpreters Edmundson, Pavlov, Ustinov. Meeting devoted to comparison Russian and English texts on meteorological program. Minor changes style resulted. Statement on implementation this program put aside till all statements ready when they will be incorporated in single document subject to review and exception within 60 days.
Meetings resumed Via Abruzzi 9:30 Friday morning with communication satellite and geomagnetism groups meeting separate rooms.
Communication satellite meeting attended by Dryden, Jaffe, Mazur, Porter, Hornig, Siry, Stelter, Klokov, Stashevskiy, Krupin, Talyzin with Ustinov, Sawicki, interpreting. At meeting US Delegation gave USSR Delegation technical information in writing covering expected characteristics Echo II satellite and radio equipment at Goonhilly Downs, and presented proposed draft agreement which provides for communication experiments between USSR and UK on 162 MC and for demonstration between USSR and USA using Echo as “part [Page 902] of link.” Draft also calls for consideration both sides of communication experiments USSR to UK at higher frequencies in addition to or instead of 162 MC. Soviet Delegation refrained from substantive comment on draft but agreed make comments Saturday morning. Questions of higher frequencies regarded by them as “delicate” because of forthcoming ITU meeting.
Meeting adjourned 11:30 to be resumed 9:30 Saturday morning summer residence.
Geomagnetism meeting attended by Cahill, Frutkin, Townsend, Heppner, Cain, Vestine, Kalinin, Blagonravov, Milovidov, with Edmundson, Pavlov interpreting. Meeting considered US paper. USSR reluctant to promise elliptical or polar orbit, to separate out instrumental and positional errors, to hold to minimal observational error recommended by IUGG, or to agree direct exchange raw data. However, general agreement indicated on over-lapping orbits in time and space, provision for launch US and USSR satellites within same three month period, adequate indication over-all data error, extensive exchange important ground observations, and absolute magnetometer instrumentation. New USSR draft due Monday. Meeting adjourned around need to reconvene Via Abruzzi 9 AM Monday.
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, SP 1–1 US–USSR. Limited Official Use. Repeated to Moscow.↩