Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-29

I'wish to thank you for your
letter of January %. delivered to
me by Ambassador zaroubin. ]
have given it careful thought.
Let me say at the outset that
! do indeed believe that the pres
ent international situation re-
uuireS all states, particularly
the great powers. to seek to les
sen international tension and
strengthen international conf
dence and cooperation.
AS the power of destruction
grows, it becomes imperative not
merely to strive to control and
limit that power, but also to
do away with antagoniSms
which could tempt men to use
that power. That view, can
assure you, is held by the people
Of the United States and by their
political leaders without any ex-
ception whatsoever.
am confident that that view
Is also shared by all the peoples
Of the world. and that those who
have been entrusted with po-
litical authority have a high
duty to respond to the universal
longing Of the peoples for peace.
Dedicated to Peace
As you are good enough to
recall. I have more than once
alluded to the immensely valu-
able asset we have in the his
toric friendship between our
peoples. profoundly believe
that upon that foundation bet
ter political relations could be
established. ! can assure you,
Mr.. Chairman, that there is
In the whole world no people
more sincerely dedicated to
building a structure Of peace
than the American people. Our
whole Nation longs for a ces-
sation of the strains and dan
gers now present in the inter-
national situation. There is in
deed no honorable thing that
we would not do if we were con-
WINGED that it would promote a
just peace in the world.
It is from this viewpoint that
I have examined your present
suggestion that the cause OF
peace would now be served by
the conclusion between our
countries of a treaty Of friend
ship and cooperation Of 20 years
duration.
I first observe that our coun-
tries are already bound to each
other by a solemn treaty-the
Charter of the United Nations.
The treaty which you now pro-
pose would consist Of three sub
stantive articles. observe also
that each one of these is already
covered by the explicit provisions
In this United Nations treaty
between us.
Already Bound by U. N.
The first article of your draft
would bind our two countries
to develop friendly relations be-
tween our peoples on the basis
of equal rights. mutual respect
and non-interference in internal
affairs. AS members Of the
United Nations we are already
bound through that organization
Ito develop friendly relations
among nations based on respect
for the principle of equal rights
and self determination of peo-
pies"
The second article of your pro-
posed treaty would bind us to
settle our international disputes
by peaceful means alone. This
is an undertaking to which our
two countries are already bound
by the provisions Of Article 2
90 of the Charter of the United
Nations which specifies that all
members shall settle their inter-
national disputes by peaceful
means"
The third article would bind
us to the strengthening Of eco
nomic, cultural and scientific
cooperation. Chapter TX Of the
Charter of the United Nations
dealing with international Eco
nomic and Social Cooperation
pledges us to work for solutions
of international economic. social
health and related problems,
and to international culturaI
and educational cooperation"
The Charter of the United
Nations constitutes a solemn
treaty not only between your
country and our own-it is
treaty among many countries
all of whom are bound to US anc
to each other, and all of whom
are concerned with world peace
The American people sincerely
desire to help make reality Of
these charter goals.
But the present state of in.
ternational tension was not pre-.
vented by the words Of the
Charter. How can we hope thai
the present situation would bt
cured merely by repeating those
words in a bilateral form?
Opposite Effect Feared
I wonder whether again 60
ing through treaty making
procedure. and this time on 6
bilateral basis only, might indeed
work against the cause of peace
by creating the illusion that 9
stroke of a pen had achieved q
result which in fact can be OBJ
tanned only by change Of spirit
Friendly collaboration between
states depends not solely upor
treaty promises but upon the
spirit that animates the govern.
ments OF the states concerned
and upon actual performance.
1t was in the hope Of promot'
ing such a spirit and such per.
Torrance that l went to Geneva
last July, a course which hac
no peacetime precedent in Amer
lean history. Despite the doubt.
If MANY that the mission would