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DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-5 9
2. The obligations of great powers be embodied in the form of
a mutual document or unilateral declaration/as mentioned above
in paragraph 1/;
3. The obligations of other states, whose armed forces are
stationed in the area of the zone, be embodied in the form of
unilateral declarations/as mentioned above in paragraph 1/.
On the basis of the above proposals the government of the Polish
People's Republ ski suggests to initiate negotiations for the purpose of
a further detailed elaboration of the plan for the establishment of the
denuclearized zone, of the documents and guarantees related to it as
well as of the means of implementation of the undertaken obligations.
The government of the Polish People's Republic has reasons to state
that acceptance of the proposal concerning the establishment of a
denuclearized zone in Ceneral Europe will facilitate the reaching of
an agreement relating to the adequate reduction of conventional arma-
ments and of foreign armed forces stationed on the territory of the
states included in the zone.
Aide-Memoire from the Soviet Foreign Minister (Gromyko) to the
American Ambassador (Thompson), Proposing a Summit Meet-
ing, February 28, 19581
[Unofficial translation]
The Soviet Government attributes great importance to having take
place in the nearest future a conference on the highest level with the
participation of Heads of Governments for discussion of a number of
urgent international questions.
It is already possible to say definitely now that the proposal for con-
venling such a conference, which has been the subject of exchange of
opinions between governments of a number of states in recent mionths,
has met with the approval and support of governments and broadest
circles of the public of many countries.
The peoples demand that effective measures be adopted for prevent-
ing the threat of outbreak of war with use of atomic and hydrogen
weapons, that a sharp break be made in the direction of improving the
whole international situation, of the creation of conditions for the
peaceful collaboration of all states. The peoples expect from the
forthcoming conference at the Summit the resolution of just this
historical task.
Exchange of messages between the Chairman of the Council of
Ministers of U.S.S.R. and the President of the United States of Amer-
ico which has taken place recently has shown that the governments of
both countries stand for a meeting of leading personages of states at
highest level.
However, there is still a number of questions connected with the
preparation of a conference at the Summit on which it is essential to
come to agreement without further delays so as to hasten the convening
of the conference.
In the opinion of the Soviet Government for bringing about such
agreement it is necessary to utilize all means and paths which will help
the most rapid achievement of understanding.
1 Department of State Bulletin, March 24, 1958, pp. 459-461. For the text
of the Amer-
ican reply (March 6, 1958), see infra.
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