Office of the Historian

36. Memorandum for the Record0

Washington, June 13, 1961, noon.

SUBJECT

  • U.S. Reply to the Soviet Aide-Mémoire

PARTICIPANTS

  • The President
  • Acting Secretary Chester Bowles
  • Mr. John J. McCloy
  • Mr. McGeorge Bundy
  • Mr. Adrian S. Fisher

Mr. McCloy showed the President the June 12 draft of our aide-mémoire dealing with the nuclear test ban negotiations.1 The President read it, made some specific suggestions as to its content, and said that it was a good paper and should be cleared with the British.

Mr. McCloy then stated his opinion that continuing to keep Mr. Dean at Geneva might result in an erosion of the U.S. position there. He [Page 97] pointed out that continuing a high level delegation, saying the same thing day after day, might result in some ridicule, and expressed his view that Mr. Dean ought to return promptly after the aide-mémoire had been delivered and read by him into the record. The President expressed his general approval of this course of action and indicated that Mr. Dean ought to stay at least a few days after the aide-mémoire had been read into the record before returning.

Mr. McCloy then showed the President the proposed memorandum of June 8, 1961.2 The President read it and indicated that he was in general agreement with its contents but stated that he did not think we should now make a statement that we are actually preparing to test, and should be careful that no such statement should get around.

The problem of a ban on atmospheric testing was briefly discussed and the consensus was that Mr. Dean should not remain in Geneva to lay the foundation for this type of action but that it should be done by declarations made from Washington.

Mr. McCloy then advised the President that prompt action within the Administration on the proposed bill was essential. The President indicated his agreement, but after attempting to get in touch with David Bell and Elmer Staats on the telephone, and failing to reach them, said he would take the matter up at another time.

  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Departments and Agencies Series, ACDA, Disarmament General 7/2/61-7/10/61. Confidential. Drafted by Fisher. The meeting was held at the White House.↩
  2. Draft not found. For text of the aide-mémoire as delivered to the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow on June 17, see Documents on Disarmament, 1961, pp. 189-195.↩
  3. See footnote 1, Document 34.↩