193. Editorial Note

On January 23, 1967, Llewellyn Thompson presented his credentials as Ambassador to the Soviet Union. He served until January 14, 1969. His predecessor, Foy Kohler, had departed post November 14, 1966, to become Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. In a January 21 letter to Chairman Kosygin, President Johnson emphasized that he had asked Thompson to return as his Ambassador to the Soviet Union “because of the great importance I attach to the improvement of relations between our two countries.” The President then proposed that the United States and the Soviet Union conduct discussions toward reaching an understanding which would “curb the strategic arms race.” Kosygin replied on February 27 that the Soviet Government was “prepared to continue the exchange of views” on strategic nuclear weapons, and Johnson announced the Soviet willingness discuss the issue at a March 2 press conference. For text of Johnson’s and Kosygin’s letters, see Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XI, Documents 178 and 185. For text of Johnson’s press conference, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1967, Book I, pages 259–262. Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XI includes extensive documentation on the issue of strategic arms limitations talks with the Soviet Union, which is indexed on pages 781782 (under “Freezes on strategic offensive and defensive missile systems”). President Johnson recounted U.S. efforts to begin the talks in The Vantage Point, pages 479–491. Ambassador Dobrynin discussed the issue from his perspective in In Confidence, pages 148–154, 165–167, 177–178, and 184–187.