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{
    "localId": "193676",
    "label": "USSR: Vienna meeting: Background documents, 1953-1961: General",
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    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676"
}

{
    "id": "193676",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "USSR: Vienna meeting: Background documents, 1953-1961: General",
    "description": "This file contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the Soviet Union. Materials in this file include newspaper articles, background papers on nuclear science and possible cooperative space exploration projects, a summary of a telephone conversation between President Kennedy and French President General Charles de Gaulle, an itinerary for President Kennedy's trip to Vienna, Austria, and copies of a joint statement issued by the President and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev concerning nuclear weapons, disarmament, and Germany following discussions in Vienna. The majority of this file consists of telegrams and memoranda to President Kennedy from Cabinet members and advisors regarding suggested strategies for discussing subjects such as nuclear weapons, disarmament, Berlin, and Laos with Premier Khrushchev.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/193676",
    "identifierLocal": "JFKPOF-126-001",
    "collections": [
        "Papers of John F. Kennedy: Presidential Papers: President's Office Files",
        "Country Files"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Soviet Union",
        "Khrushchev, Nikita Sergeevich, 1894-1971",
        "International relations"
    ],
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    "naId": 193676,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 21,
        "logicalDate": "1961-06-21",
        "month": 6,
        "year": 1961
    },
    "coverageStartDate": {
        "day": 13,
        "logicalDate": "1961-04-13",
        "month": 4,
        "year": 1961
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    "seq": 66,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/76/1936/193676/content/presidential-libraries/kennedy/POF/JFKPOF-126-001/JFKPOF-126-001-p0067.jpg",
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    "ocrText": "6\nPage Two\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONTROL: 52\nendeavor is to contribute to bringing about agreement among the inter\nested powers that Laos should be permitted to enjoy an independent\nexistence outside the influence of big powers; that Laos may enjoy\na freedom within which its leaders and its factions may come together\nto plan the destiny of Laos in accordance with the wishes of its\npeople and the framework of its national Institutions. U.S. policies\nand actions in Laos are intended to contribute to such objectives.\nBut, as Your Royal Highness too well knows, the freedom of Laos is\ngravely threatened by forces aided and directed from outside. We\nbelieve with you, Monseigneur, that in the conference on Laos at\nGeneva- a conference which Your Royal Highness did much to bring\nabout-sowe must strive through the moral force and perseverance of\nthe nations represented to restrain the advance of these forces in\nLaos and to bring about an international agreement that will safe-\nguard the neutrality and freedom of that country.\nI share Your Royal Highness's view that the Lao leaders should be freed\nof outside pressures so that, rising above any personal disputes that\nmay exist among them, they could lend their united support to the ob-\njective of a free and neutral Laos. You, Monseigneur, as a disinter\nested and true friend of Laos, are playing a most constructive and\nsignificant role in your patient and understanding efforts to assist\nthe Lao leaders in reaching such a rapproächement in the interests\nof their country's future.\nI believe there is an inseparable relationship between the progress\nof the international conference on Laos toward agreement on provisions\nfor safeguarding Laos neutrality and your own efforts to assist the\nLao leaders to come together in fruitful discussion of the path to\nLao national unity. Each of these two aspects of the problem affects\nthe other. Yet the essential nature of the problem seems to me to be\nthat\nprogress toward Lao national unity is impeded by the absence of\ninternational agreement on a suitable means for assuring the neturality\nand the integrity of Laos itself. Without such an agreement there is\ndanger that a rapproachement or Lao leaders may be possible only on a\nbasis that will place them all under the influence of those forces\nwhich seek the domination of Laos by an alien ideology.\nI know that Prime Minister Prince Boun Oum has already met with Your\nRoyal Highness at Nice, and I hope that the others to whom you have\nextended your gracious invitation may be persuaded soon to respond\nin like manner.\nAt the same time, Monseigneur, I hope that you will continue to lend\nyour support to the effort which is being made at the conference to\nensure that adequate instructions may be issued to the ICSC in Laos\nto verify the cease-fire. As Your Royal Highness knows, we agreed to\nattend the conference at Geneva on condition that there be an effective\nand verified cease-fire. We have gone to Geneva in good faith, but\nhostilities have not ceased. I do not see how the conference can\nproceed\nCONFIDENTIAL"
}