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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INR BRIEFING NOTE
TO: The Director, INR
GIST: US-USSR: Commentator Matvoyev in Izvestiya on President's Glassboro Speech of June 4—Vietnam Does Hurt US-Soviet Ties
DATE: June 12, 1968
TIME: 5 p.m.
COMMENTS CONTAINED IN INR BRIEFING NOTES ARE INITIAL AND TENTATIVE.
SOURCE(S)
IBIS 67 June 12 UNCL
(TASS International June 12)
CLASS./CONTROL(S)
TASS reviews a commentary in Izvestiya of June 12 by Matvoyev on the President's Glassboro speech:
LEJ was sowing illusions among the public to the effect that the course of US foreign policy is compatible with the interests of peace. He contended that US-Soviet relations have not suffered from Vietnam. He was striving, apparently, to dampen public alarm in the US over the "dangerous consequences" of the US's course in Southeast Asia.
The speech was "a travesty of the truth." LEJ admitted that tension in Southeast Asia and in the Middle East is a danger threatening world peace. It is true, as he said, that in the past year agreement was reached on nonorbiting of nuclear weapons, HPT, and astronaut assistance. But these agreements do not substantiate the LEJ thesis that Vietnam does not exert a negative influence on the world situation.
"The most important thing" is that Vietnam, and other conflicts threatening to flare up where the situation is tense, "threaten the peoples with the most serious aftermaths."
US-Soviet cultural exchanges and trade have been "considerably reduced." The reason is Vietnam. The USSR wants "normal, business-like relations" with the US. But Moscow is not indifferent to US policies toward other countries. US use of force, and US encouragement to others to use force, can only be rebuffed by the USSR.
INR comment: The language on a "travesty of truth" is tough, but otherwise the article—if TASS represents its flavor accurately—is restrained by Soviet standards. Its message is simple: it isn't true that Moscow is willing to engage in cooperation with the US despite Vietnam. The article however is not convincing, and will not convince many Soviet readers.
This is the first Soviet comment for domestic audiences on the Glassboro speech of which we are aware. TASS International carried a brief comment on June 4, and a Radio Moscow broadcast in English on June 6 also commented on the speech (briefed earlier). The first item said the speech showed that the US would continue a tough stand in the Paris talks. The second asked how the President intended to develop US-USSR relations while it was continuing aggression against a sovereign socialist republic.
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