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Signal Milestone

The rights to “live one’s own life without fear of annihilation, to breathe the air as nature provides it, and the right of future generations to a healthy existence”⁷. Soviet leaders, particularly Nikita Khrushchev, reacted positively to Kennedy’s speech. The president’s speech was practically published in full in *Pravda* on June 13, 1963, and on June 15, *Pravda* and *Izvestia* published an “interview” with Khrushchev—a response from the Soviet leader to the American president’s speech⁸.

Preparations for the signing of the Moscow Treaty accelerated significantly. On July 26, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State W. Averell Harriman arrived in Moscow and was received by Khrushchev. On August 5, U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk and British Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home arrived in the Soviet Union to sign the treaty. After its signing, Rusk undertook a tour of the country, meeting repeatedly with Khrushchev in Gagra, where a wide range of issues were discussed—from the German, Vietnamese, and Laotian questions to cooperation between the two countries in space, nuclear, medical, chemical-technological, and other spheres.

The success of the Moscow Treaty inspired Soviet leaders. In a confidential message to Kennedy on August 17, 1963, Khrushchev urged him “not to rest on what has been achieved but to take further steps from this good start.” “Of course, the path ahead will not be easy. However, we must pursue it persistently and consistently, moving forward, perhaps not in haste, but without slowing our pace, steadily achieving solutions to pressing international problems that would serve the interests not only of our two countries but of the entire world,” wrote Khrushchev⁹.

The continuation of close superpower contacts was marked by A.A. Gromyko’s trip to the next session of the UN General Assembly in New York. In September–October 1963, the Soviet Foreign Minister held a record 11 meetings with J.F. Kennedy, Dean Rusk, and Alec Douglas-Home. During these talks, the issues of peacefully resolving the German question and non-aggression toward Cuba were raised again. However, the discussions primarily focused on steps toward further disarmament, reducing military expenditures, and approving a Non-Aggression Pact between the Warsaw Pact countries and NATO.

As the U.S. presidential election campaign began, the American administration, after the approval of the Moscow Treaty, did not rush to take any further steps.

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