Office of the Historian

417. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, August 1, 1962.

PARTICIPANTS

  • Ambassador Anatoliy F. Dobrynin, USSR
  • W. Averell Harriman—FE

I lunched with Ambassador Dobrynin today at his request. We discussed at some length the Laos settlement and I assured him that President Kennedy has issued instructions to all concerned that we should adhere to the agreement in the spirit as well as the letter. He said that he knew Khrushchev felt the same way about it. We agreed that we could work closely together and we must not be suspicious of each other if, on the one hand, the Pathet Lao, or on the other, General Phoumi, should take actions which we did not fully approve of. The important thing was for each of us to be frank in advising the other of any suspicions when they first arose. In that way, difficulties could perhaps be prevented.

I told him I thought the Chinese Communists were ready to conform, but I wasn’t so sure of the North Vietnamese. I found them quite intractable about their support of the insurgents in South Vietnam. He claimed not to have known of the details of the ICC Report. I told him I would send it to him.

He asked specifically about the details of Souvanna’s visit, including whether we had given any promises of economic aid. I told him that Souvanna’s visit had been successful with the press and others in gaining support for the President’s policies and in gaining an understanding of the wisdom of a neutral Laos under Souvanna. I pointed out that President Kennedy had stated in his first press conference in January 1961 his desire for a neutral and independent Laos and recalled Mr. Khrushchev’s agreement in Vienna, and that I felt sure that if both would work together our mutual aims could be achieved. I explained that no detailed agreement had been reached on aid, although Souvanna had indicated the general area of requirements, village development, roads, etc. He confirmed what Souvanna had told us, that the Soviet Union had as yet not made any specific offers of aid.

[Here follows discussion of unrelated matters.]

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–162. Confidential. Drafted by Harriman.↩