Htlf•IMMls 01,~ '""' o'"'J DEPARTMENT OF STATE .._,,__,_.,.,...._.,.._..,._,~..;;D IN S /66 MemoranJum ol Conversation DATE: December 21, 1966 TIME: 4:30 P.M. PLACE: Secretary's Office SUBJECT: Secretary's Meeting with Ambassador Duda PARTICIPAN1S: The Secretary Dr. Karel Duda, Ambassador of the C.zechoslovak Socialist Republic Jaromir Pribyl, Second Secretary, Czechoslovak Embassy Irving I. Schiffman, EUR/EE COPIES TO: S/S EUR Amembassies: PRAGUE S/P H MOSCOW DECLASSIFIED G p E.O. 12958, Sec. 3.6 INR/OD SCA -NLJ 9.7-/S? WH By i¢P , NARA Date /D-3fJ-f9 CIA ~ter the preliminary pleasantries, the Secretary said that. he was disappointed -, to find on his return from the world tour he had just completed that the Kazan case is not yet settled. Just as the Secretary was about to make his representa­tions on the matter to Ambassador Duda, the Ambassador interjected and said that he himself had planned to see the Secretary in this regard and referred to the informal conversation he had had with the Secretary some time ago during a social occasion. The Ambassador said that he had reported the earlier conver­sation to the MFA, received ~ reply and wished to read it to the Secretary. In response to the Secretary's question whether he could leave a copy, the Ambassador said that it was "incomplete and in rough form". He would read it slowly. As you know, Duda said, Kazan is being -2­ 11easures which have been taken, such as the withholding of visas and the un­official but practical discouragement of travel. The Kazan case is of a con­sular nature and will be handled as such and on its merits. Publicity, pressures, and retaliatory measures will only complicate a solution to the problem. We have no intention to permit this case to undermine our relations, but it is necessary that the court proceedings be permitted to take their course. In the past, Duda continued, we have received no cooperation from the US to our just requests involving questions affecting ~ur bilateral relations. These have been seriously affected by the discrepancy between. words and deeds. US statements that we are interested in normalizing relations are contra­dicted by the precipitous actions such as have been taken in this case. These are bound to affect relations adversely. US pronouncements are impaired by our unwillingness to sign the concluded financial/claims agreement and the yardstick of our sincerity is our unwillingness to return the Nazi-looted gold. In this context, the US image is not a good one and we are not going to prevent the public from learning the full facts of this matter. The Ambassador hoped that his statement clarified the Czech position in this matter. Referring to Duda's remark regarding a solution of the case, the Secretary asked what he meant by this. Duda replied that he had no authority to elaborate and added that he preferred to let the statement stand. He then said that the atmosphere engendered by a campaign in the press and by measures intended to exert pressure cannot but complicate the general atmosphere. • -3­ to the point where it has overshadowed relations, whose improvement both ides strived to achieve. Duda then asked whether the Kazan incident is be­ ing used by some people here as a pretext to obstruct progress in US-Czech relations. The Secretary replied that this surely is not true of the President, himself, and the Executive in general. He said that we relied and will rely again on the assurances the Czechs have given us regarding the safety of American travelers, but this case presents us with a very special situation. The Secretary added that on his recent trip he had encountered many Senators and Congressme~all of whom had questioned him and conmented on the Kazan case.· -The Secretary aJ.so mentioned his 1uncheon with seven Congre-ssmen -ear1ier-iD.­ the da.L'!ho ~~u~~up ~~~a~~--------------------------------­ · 7he Secretary then said to Duda: "I wish you would ask Foreign Minister David how he envisages a solution in the interest of better relations on both sides." The Secretary expressed the hope that David could reply to his question personally. He said he would withhold further conment until he Teceived an answer from David1 ada.ing that he deliberately refrained from talking about the case at his press conference that afternoon. Duda promised to convey the Secretary's request to David, but added that he wished to stress again that any publicity and pressure will only tend to complicate developments. 1'he meeting was concluded with the Secretary saying that he hoped to see Duda again when he had a reply from Minister David.