102. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
2400. For Ambassador from Ambassador Thompson. Embtel 2607.2 Appreciate your suggestions and particularly agree with last two paragraphs. All of us here feel deeply that we must, as you suggest, keep “channels of communication open during fluid and critical period.”
With regard to your suggestions, there are no forthcoming public appearances by Soviet Embassy staff except one of which sponsors are left-wing groups which would be unlikely to cancel. We shall, however, attempt to ensure that exchange program sponsors point out to their Soviet contacts on appropriate occasions that attacks on Embassy can damage exchange program and U.S.-USSR relations. However, our position has been somewhat weakened by recent attack on Soviet Embassy here.
In general, we consider it important to avoid getting into a visa war with the USSR. We are glad for that reason that you merely postponed the Soviet group rather than refusing visas outright. Serious as these attacks are, they are less important than such substantive issues as S.E. Asia, disarmament and European security, on which progress requires free U.S.-USSR interchange. Therefore, we must strive in our own interests to keep a dialogue going even in the face of Soviet actions against U.S. policy in third areas or unpleasant incidents like the attack on the Embassy.
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–8 USSR. Confidential. Drafted by Henry, cleared in draft by Davis and SES, and approved and initialed by Thompson.↩
- Document 101.↩