418 Foreign Relations, 1958-1960, Volume IX



that we should put major emphasis on disarmament. The German prob-
lem is not the only problem in the world. There are others in Korea, Red
China and elsewhere. These can only be solved through progress in dis-
armament because only by such progress can we establish the atmos-
phere of confidence and trust which is essential.
    General de Gaulle then noted that the Chancellor had made two
particular points, namely that the Western powers not allow Berlin to
become the chief topic at the Summit meeting, but that disarmament
should be the major topic. If progress were made on disarmament, this
could lead to a detente. He had pointed out that the Soviets wished to
dominate Germany and thereby enhance the position of the Soviet bloc.
    The President then said he would like to ask whether the Chancel-
lor had read Khrushchev's latest proposal on Berlin,1 and, if so, did he
have any comments.
    General de Gaulle said that this was the one relating to a temporary
arrangement at the end of which there would have to be a change in the
status of Berlin, and if Khrushchev obtained our agreement to this even
tacitly he would have part of the cake.
    The Chancellor jokingly said he did not know whether this was re-
ally Khrushchev's last proposal. There had been several of these last
proposals. He fully agreed with General de Gaulle that at the end of two
years Khrushchev would have part of the cake.
    The President said that in this paper of Khrushchev's he did note
one element which seemed new to him, and this was the fact that
Khrushchev seemed willing to concede that West Berlin could make any
political-economic arrangements that it wanted with other countries
(except of course military arrangements). At Geneva he had been un-
willing to agree to this and this seemed perhaps one advance by
Khrushchev.
    General de Gaulle said that at Geneva, where he had not been pres-
ent-he felt Khrushchev had not excluded relationships of the free city
with outside states and organizations but he had made it quite plain that
he would not allow West Berlin to belong to the German Federal Repub-
lic.
    The President said that he had read this paper rather hurriedly on
the plane and the Secretary added that it was an English translation
from a French translation of a Russian original.
    General de Gaulle said he felt what Khrushchev wanted was a city
which would belong to no one and accepted the fact that it would not
belong to the German Democratic Republic.



1 See Document 154.