226. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
SUBJECT
- START: Bessmertnykh Message to the Secretary
1. (Confidential—Entire Text.)
2. The following message to the Secretary from Soviet Foreign Minister Bessmertnykh was delivered by the Soviet Embassy to the Department the evening of June 26.
3. Begin Text:
The high-level interagency group headed by R. Bartholomew coming to Geneva was welcome news. We hope that the talks with Soviet experts led by A. Obukhov that began today will make it possible to achieve the necessary progress in resolving the outstanding START issues on the basis of the messages exchanged by the U.S. and USSR presidents.
A. Obukhov has been given all the necessary instructions II terms of discussing the principal problems. Including those of downloading, new types of ballistic missiles and other issues relating to the Houston [Page 1078] package. Soviet negotiators will also have the necessary positions on data denial.
I fully share your desire to conduct business in such a way as to complete—on the basis of the understanding reached between Presidents Gorbachev and Bush—the work on the treaty as early as possible and sign it during the Moscow summit in the last week of July.
End Text.
- Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D910619–0573. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Sent Immediate for information to NST Geneva. Drafted by Gray; cleared in S/S and S/S-O; approved by Vershbow.↩