68. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State1
Secto 23. Had one hour talk with Kosygin at Soviet Embassy accompanied by Bowles. Soviet Ambassador and one Soviet FonOff official also present.
[Here follows a brief account of trade discussions.]
We then turned to Laos at my request. I went over background of Khrushchev-Kennedy agreement of June 1961 and Geneva Accords of 1962. I described two major Viet Minh violations throughout subsequent period, namely, continued presence Viet Minh military in Laos and use of Laos as corridor to attack South Viet Nam. I told him we and Soviet had agreed that everyone should leave Laos alone and that, if left alone, Laos would cause no problems for its neighbors. Neither side needed Laos as an ally. I said that, on the one side, the United States has no interest in military bases or a military presence in Southeast Asia and that if Hanoi and Peiping would leave their neighbors alone there could be peace in Southeast Asia. On other hand, I said that we could not stand aside and watch [Page 125] Southeast Asia be overrun by Hanoi and Peiping. I concluded by urging importance of close cooperation between Washington and Moscow to support full compliance with Geneva Accords of 1962.
Time began to run out because both of us had to attend and speak at Delhi memorial meeting for Nehru. Kosygin, however, said that he would report my observations to Mr. Khrushchev, declared that Soviet Union fully supports Geneva Accords, but stated that US was taking military steps which would provide no answer to situation. I told him that we are not seeking a military solution but that Pathet Lao with help of several Viet Minh battalions were resorting to military action contrary to the Accords. I told him growing danger of situation made it all the more important for our two governments to act together to preserve Geneva Accords.
Atmosphere of conversation was relaxed throughout except for two or three sentence exchange over our actions in South Viet Nam. No threats were used by either side. Since time was very short I do not believe this conversation substitutes for more systematic exchange of views with them on Laos at highest level.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL US–USSR. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Rusk was in Thailand for a brief visit after attending Indian Prime Minister Nehru’s funeral in New Delhi, May 28–30. Kosygin also attended the funeral. (Johnson Library, Rusk Appointment Book)↩