139. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State1
19273. For the Secretary from the Ambassador. Subject: Message to Gromyko. Ref: State 203927.2
[Page 441]1. In absence of Gromyko, who is vacationing outside of Moscow, I delivered your letter to Acting Foreign Minister Korniyenko morning of August 14.
2. After reading the letter, and undertaking to transmit it to Gromyko, Korniyenko commented that your hope that the Soviet Union would support the Camp David summit meeting was unfounded. The Soviet side considers the path of Egypt-Israeli talks to be a blind alley which can cause “dangerous complications” in the Middle East. Noting that in my view the Soviet position was wrong, I told Korniyenko that as a careful reader of the Soviet press I was not surprised at his response.
3. Regarding a possible Warnke visit to the Soviet Union, I asked Korniyenko if he could clarify Gromyko’s vacation plans. Korniyenko replied that Gromyko was presently on vacation outside of the capital. He said the Soviet side would not want Warnke to postpone his trip, however. Korniyenko himself would go on vacation shortly (tomorrow in fact, but only for 10 days) in Moscow and therefore he would be available to meet Warnke at any time. In response to my hypothetical question, Korniyenko indicated that it might be possible for Warnke to meet with Gromyko outside of Moscow, although Korniyenko would of course have to discuss this with Gromyko should Warnke wish to arrange such a meeting.
- Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 3, CV–Gromyko Letter (Camp David) 8/11/78. Secret; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis.↩
- See Document 138.↩