bilaterally with the Soviets. We would have to coordinate our proposals with our allies. By and large, the President concluded that
this was not the time to mike any new proposals. We have not concerted either with our allies or even among ourselves. Secretary
Dulles commented that the President's position did not preclude
proposals for change in the August 1957 position at some future
time.
Dr. Killian read from a report of the Science Advisory
Committee's Panel on Disarmament, in which the Panel had concluded
that the United States should not proceed with additional proposals
for nuclear test suspension without up-to-date technical appraisals
made in advance by the most highly-qualified U. 5. scientific and
technical personnel.
Governor Stassen reverted to the President's question as
to the channels through which we would now or at some future time
put forward proposals for changes in our position on disarmament.
He explained his conviction that if we stood pat on our August 1957
position we would not hold the support of NATO but actually lose it.
He also explained what must have appeared to the Soviets as the inequity of the European zone of inspection which we had proposed in
August at London. The Soviets had rejected this proposed inspection
zone. Nevertheless, our NATO allies clearly do not want us to stand
pat on this zone and refuse to consider any modification.
|
Likewise, continued Governor Stassen, he could not agree
with the vlews of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the inspection zones
he was proposing were undoubtedly disadvantageous to the United States
or were weighted in favor of the USSR. He defended the proposed new
zone, and expressed again the feeling that if the United States did
not now take the initiative in proposing other zones of inspection,
we could be sure that some other NATO country would do so. Governor
Stassen also insisted that his proposals as a whole did not constitute a retreat by the United States, but rather a manifestation of
U. S. leadership. It was not only the 11]-informed public opinion
of the world, but the well-informed people of the world, who are
looking to the United States for new leadership. We cannot ignore
this opinion, and our national security requires the support of
other free nations.
With respect to the question posed by the President as to
how we should proceed to advance any new proposals we should decide
on, Governor Stassen suggested the following outline: First, we
would confer with the appropriate Senate leaders. ‘Then we would
take up the matter with the British, the French, and the NATO Council.
Governor Stassen said he believed that all of these would support his
proposals, and ended with a plea for support in the National Security
Council for these proposals.
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