Office of the Historian

159. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, October 10, 1966.

SUBJECT

  • Latin American Nuclear Free Zone

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.
    • The Secretary
    • William C. Foster, ACDA
    • Ambassador Llewellyn Thompson
    • Governor Harriman
    • John M. Leddy—EUR
    • Malcolm Toon—SOV
  • USSR
    • Foreign Minister Gromyko
    • Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin
    • Alexander I. Zinchuk, Minister-Counselor, Soviet Embassy
    • Counselor of Embassy Vorontsov
    • Ivan I. Ippolitov, Aide to Gromyko

The Secretary said that in his recent visit to New York2 he had had an opportunity for discussions with some 70 Foreign Ministers, including most of the Latin Americans. As Gromyko was aware the Latin American [Page 392] countries are very interested in reaching agreement on establishing a nuclear free zone in Latin America. There was some difference of opinion among the Latin American Foreign Ministers as to whether they should proceed without Cuba. The Secretary felt that anything Mr. Gromyko could do to urge Cuba to participate would be helpful. Ambassador Dobrynin asked if all Latin American countries were devoted to the nuclear free concept; he had the impression that at least one country had some reservations about this. The Secretary responded that perhaps one country was somewhat bemused with the idea of developing a nuclear capability but he felt strongly that its reservations with regard to a nuclear free zone could be overcome if Cuba were to participate.

  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 70 A 4443, 388.3, Nuclear Free Zone, 1966. Confidential; Exdis. Drafted by Malcolm Toon (EUR/SOV), October 18, and cleared in S/S and S, October 19. Although the source text provides no time, this conversation apparently took place at the same informal dinner referenced in footnote 1, Document 158.↩
  2. See footnote 1, Document 153.↩