154. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Sisco) to Secretary of State Rusk1
SUBJECT
- Goldberg Meeting with Gromyko
I’ve had a brief rundown by classified telephone of the Goldberg-Gromyko conversation this morning. A cable will be coming later in the day.2
There were no significant Soviet reactions except that at the close of the conversation Gromyko referred to the outer space treaty as an hors d’oeuvre which depended on “getting a better picture of the main meal.” This is interpreted to mean in New York Soviet unwillingness to agree to a space treaty without some progress on non-proliferation and possibly Vietnam.
- 1.
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Outer Space Treaty
Ambassador Goldberg explained the U.S. was eager to reach agreement on a treaty as evidence of a mutual desire for good relationships. He mentioned the problem of equal facilities and expressed willingness to shift from the preamble to an operative paragraph a provision whereby the parties would agree to consider granting of facilities. He did not give Gromyko specific language. Gromyko indicated no real awareness of details but commented this did not get over the problem of discrimination from the Soviet point of view and the U.S. should “show more imagination.”
[Here follows discussion of Vietnam.]
- 3.
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Non-Proliferation Treaty
Ambassador Goldberg noted that this was something Gromyko would wish to discuss with the President and therefore he would not go into any detail. He told Gromyko that the President had said to him yesterday that he would not go along with any change in U.S. law that would remove the need for his approval for firing of any nuclear weapons. Gromyko responded that firing was not the whole problem. Goldberg added that the President had also said he would not go along with arrangements where others could tell him where or when the U.S. would employ nuclear weapons. Gromyko just nodded. He asked whether [Page 384] Ambassador Goldberg was telling him the U.S. was really anxious to conclude a non-proliferation treaty. Goldberg said “yes.” Gromyko repeated it would have to be a treaty which avoided any dissemination through the structure of an alliance.
[Here follows discussion of Chinese representation.]