233. Editorial Note

On May 4, 1971, Deputy Assistant to the President Haig met Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin at 1 p.m. in the White House to discuss linking progress in the Berlin negotiations to recent developments in the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. Assistant to the President Kissinger, who was on vacation in Palm Springs, California, had instructed Haig to summon Dobrynin for an explanation of a proposal floated the previous day by Vladimir Semenov, head of the Soviet SALT delegation in Vienna. Although Gerard Smith, head of the U.S. SALT delegation, viewed it as a possible breakthrough, Kissinger saw the proposal in a different light. “Whatever the reason,” he later recalled, “Semenov’s move, as well as raising doubts about Soviet good faith, in effect circumvented the Presidential Channel.” (White House Years, pages 817–818; see also Smith, Doubletalk, pages 218–223)

According to the memorandum of conversation, Haig began the meeting with Dobrynin not by raising the proposal on SALT from Semenov, but by introducing a message on Berlin from Ambassador Rush:

“General Haig first showed the Ambassador a message from Ambassador Rush (Tab A [see Document 228]). The Ambassador read the message carefully. General Haig noted that it was evident from that document that our side was moving constructively in response to the agreement which had been arrived at between Dr. Kissinger and the [Page 697] Soviet Ambassador in their special channel. General Haig continued that both the President and Dr. Kissinger were now, however, beginning to question the value of this special channel because of various actions taken on the Soviet side.”

After allowing Dobrynin to read a telegram from Smith on the Semenov initiative, Haig explained that the White House was “shocked” that the Kremlin would take important steps in Vienna before responding to proposals discussed in Washington between Kissinger and Dobrynin. “Because of this turn of events and the apparent shifting Soviet attitude on SALT,” he continued, “both Dr. Kissinger and the President were beginning to seriously question the value of continuing with this special channel and wondered whether or not it might not be more advantageous to terminate the channel now and return the discussions on the range of issues which had been covered in this channel to their regularly established forums.” Following a debate on the conduct of SALT by special channel, Haig and Dobrynin concluded the meeting by returning to Berlin.

“Ambassador Dobrynin then asked to read again the message at Tab A. After doing so, he asked General Haig whether or not this message was designed to convey to him the fact that progress was being made on the Berlin issue.

“General Haig stated that the message spoke for itself, adding that obviously the U.S. side had been and was prepared to continue to act in good faith as a result of the discussions which were held in the special channel between Ambassador Dobrynin and Dr. Kissinger. However, when incidents arose such as that which occurred yesterday in Vienna, it could not help but shake our confidence in the value of continuing these discussions.

“General Haig stated that the Soviet side must understand that the U.S. Government had to maintain a level of discipline within its own bureaucracy in its dealings with the Soviet Union and comments like those made by Ambassador Semenov could be the source of serious confusion and make the continuation of the special channel counterproductive. For this reason, it was important that the Soviet side deal solely in the special channel and coordinate carefully with Dr. Kissinger before new initiatives can be taken in the Vienna forum.

“Ambassador Dobrynin smiled and reiterated that we should be assured by the statements made by Semenov and not be so suspicious of Soviet intentions.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1)