Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLT/Naval Aide)182 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 March 15, 1951 TOP NLT, Date 9-7-86 SECRET By DEB SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS FOUR-POWER At the ninth session of the Paris talks EXPLORATORY TALKS on Wednesday the Soviets presented the following revised draft agenda: 1) Re- - garding fulfillment by the Four Powers of the Potsdam Agreement on demilitarization of Germany; 2) Problems relating to reestablishment of German unity and preparation of the treaty of peace; and 3) Exami- nation of the causes of present international tensions in Europe and of means to securing a real and lasting improvement in relations between the USSR, US, UK and France, including the question of reduction of armed forces of the Four Powers--USSR US, UK and France. Although the above agenda appears at first sight to offer considerable concessions to the Western point of view and does apparently make some concessions, it still is far from acceptable in several major respects, and must be very carefully studied. The new Soviet item 2 represents the tripartite version which the Soviets have accepted without modifica- tion, and the new Soviet item 3 represents the original tripartite item 1 with the addition of the question of the reduction of the armed forces of the Four Powers. However, the Soviets seem adamant on discussing the question of Germany at the beginning of the agenda and on leaving the question of international tensions until the end- position which we feel is illogical and which undermines our basic contention that the rearmament of Germany is a result, not a cause, of international ten- sions. Furthermore, as to the possibility of a reduction of the armed forces of the Four Powers, contained in the new Soviet item 3, we feel that reference must be made to the existing level of armaments which, in itself, is a cause of international tension, i. e. the disparity between Soviet and Western armaments. I O P S ECRET