Deputy Minister Winiewicz, 'Record of Conversation with the Ambassador of Czechoslovaki on the 12th of this Month'

200

August 13, deputy minister Winiewicz’s record of conversation

with the ambassador of Czechoslovakia on peace initiatives

and the visit of a representative of the American Democratic Party

in Poland

Warsaw, August 13, 1958

Top secret

RECORD OF CONVERSATION

with the ambassador of Czechoslovakia, on the 12^th of this month

Vojaček, the ambassador of Czechoslovakia announced his visit for August 12, 1958 in order to hand in a memorandum ‘for information purposes’, in which Czechoslovakia justifies filing a new motion for the 13^th UN session, which was not part of the agenda, titled ‘Means to Implement and Uphold Principles of Peaceful Coexistence of Nations’. We had been informed about such a Czechoslovakia project. The Memorandum submitted to Secretary General, is its realization.

I thanked V. and said that we would analyze it and make preparations for defense of the Memorandum at the Session.

Let us stress that such a line of argument as well as the form of presentation of the Czechoslovak motion reiterate a similar Soviet motion, submitted for the 12^th Session. Following the discussion on the Soviet motion, the UN adopted a compromise resolution 1236 (XII) ‘Peaceful and neighbourly relations among states’^6[1] The Czechoslovak motion is merely of a declarative nature. Perhaps only the UN can initiate discussion with a propagandistic significance.^7[2]

My interlocutor, in turn, asked about Stevenson’s visit to Poland,^8[3] justifying his interest in S.’s planned stay in Czechoslovakia. During the conversation I underlined that conversations with Stevenson showed that he was interested in collecting information and impression from his stay in Poland. We did not get into any special debates with him, and Stevenson himself made no specific political declarations. He only gave to understand that he is gathering material to compile a new foreign policy program of the Democratic Party, which is being elaborated by a special team of foreign policy experts of the Democrats (from S.’s  conversation with Winiewicz).

I further informed that in conversation with Stevenson, comrade Rapacki replied to his questions: the goals of our foreign policy (the Rapacki Plan), Polish-American relations (our negative attitude to the US policy vis-à-vis Germany), and finally there was an opportunity to point out to Stevenson the importance that we ascribe to China’s becoming a UN member, and acquaint him with our principal stance on Yugoslavia. Stevenson’s conversation with comrade Jędrychowski concerned Poland’s economy. Comrade Modrzewski in turn acquainted S. with the current state of Polish-American commercial contacts, and it is our intention to extend them on the existing terms (thus on economic terms), however we demand of the US the most favored nation clause. I also informed Vojaček of the details of S.’s stay in Poland. I also told him that S. asked to speak with comrades Gomułka and Cyrankiewicz, who are now on vacation.

Vojaček seemed very satisfied, and thanked for the information.^9[4]

/–/ Winiewicz

AMSZ, ZD 6/77, w. 59, t. 829

⁶ Resolution submitted on the initiative of the Soviet delegation was debated by the Political Committee on December 12-14, 1957. The UN General Assembly, however, on December 14 adopted a more compromise resolution submitted by delegates of India, Sweden, Yugoslavia (the Soviet representative voted in favor).

⁷ Submitted by Czechoslovakia, the initiative to adopt a resolution on the principles of peaceful coexistence led to the UN GA adopting a resolution on friendly relations among states on December 10.

⁸ Adlai E. Stevenson II, former US Democratic president candidate, paid an unofficial visit to Poland on August 8–13; see doc. no 205.

⁹ The document was transmitted as a code message to the embassy in Prague and to the permanent mission to the UN in New York.