C0670294 8 =1ED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No.

C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019

INITIALS

APPR: WJB

DRAFT DRAFT: MRK

CLR 1: GHO
CLR 2: EE

s7rPRT
RELEASE IN FULL

[DECLASSIFIED

SSO:MRKOUMANS
05/02/97; EXT. 71512
S/S:WJBURNS

S/S-0:GHO'BRIEN
D: EEDELMAN

NODIS — NOT FOR ADS

IMMEDIATE LONDON

OECAPTIONED
NODIS
EYES ONLY FOR THE AMBASSADOR FROM THE EXEC SEC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/27

TAGS: PRELI) PG V

SUBJECT: ),LSECRETARY'S CONVERSATION WITH UK FOREIGN

OFFICE POLITICAL DIRECTOR GREENSTOCK

1. (U) NODIS. CLASSIFIED BY: WILLIAM J. BURNS, EXECUTIVE

SECRETARY, S/S, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. REASON 1.5. (D),
1.6(X5) AND (X6) .

2. "Mt- THIS CABLE CONTAINS A MEMORANDUM OF THE DEPUTY

SECRETARY'S TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH UK FOREIGN OFFICE
POLITICAL DIRECTOR GREENSTOCK ON MAY 2. THE DEPUTY
SECRETARY INITIATED THE,CALL. THEY DISCUSSED NATO
ENLARGEMENT AND THE BRITISH ELECTIONS. I ASK THAT YOU NOT
PERMIT COPIES TO BE MADE OF THIS MESSAGE, AND THAT YOU NOT
DISTRIBUTE IT OUTSIDE OF THE MISSION'S EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

BEGIN TEXT:

MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

DATE: MAY 2, 1997

TIME: 1430 EDT

Declassification Authority: Geoffrey W. Chapman, Senior Reviewer, A/GIS/IPS
8/7/2019

MEMCON
lst DRAFT.
UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No. C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019
C 0 6 7 0 2 9 4 8 IED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No. C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019

SECRET 2

(AC) PARTICIPANTS: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY AND UK FOREIGN

OFFICE POLITICAL DIRECTOR GREENSTOCK

3. (;3.1' THE DEPUTY SECRETARY, CALLING FROM ABOARD HIS

AIRCRAFT ENROUTE FROM BRUSSELS TO WASHINGTON, EXPRESSED HIS
SURPRISE AT THE BRITISH ELECTION RESULTS. GREENSTOCK
CALLED THE RESULTS "AMAZING" AND "BRILLIANT." GREENSTOCK
NOTED HIS ASTONISHMENT THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD CALLED AT
4:15 IN THE MORNING.

4. ..0!11 THE DEPUTY SECRETARY ASKED WHETHER GREENSTOCK HAD

RECEIVED A READOUT OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S DISCUSSION
WITH BRITISH PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN DONILON IN
BRUSSELS ON THE MARGINS OF THE NAC MEETING. GREENSTOCK
REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A PRELIMINARY READOUT, AND HE
WAS VERY INTERESTED. GREENSTOCK HAD SEEN THE TWO PAPERS -
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S SUGGESTION CONCERNING VIENNA AND THE
DEPUTY SECRETARY'S RUSSIAN PAPER.

5. (-st THE DEPUTY SECRETARY NOTED THERE WOULD BE A TRICKY

PASSAGE AHEAD. HE HAD STRESSED IN BRUSSELS THAT RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD BE TREATED AS A MOVE TOWARD AN ENDGAME.
THIS POINT SHOULD BE STRESSED IN THE UPCOMING MEETING
BETWEEN NATO SYG SOLANA AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
PRIMAKOV. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY STATED HE WAS ACUTELY AWARE
OF THE SPECIAL DIMENSION THAT THE U.S./UK SPECIAL
RELATIONSHIP WOULD HAVE OVER THE COMING DAYS, AND HE WAS
READY TO PRESERVE ITS MOMENTUM IN THIS TIME OF TRANSITION.
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID HE WAS PREPARED TO TALK TO
GREENSTOCK AT ANY HOUR OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. HE HAD CALLED
ON THIS OCCASION IN ORDER TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH GREENSTOCK.

6. (..S4- GREENSTOCK REPLIED HE APPRECIATED THE DEPUTY

SECRETARY'S CALL VERY MUCH. GREENSTOCK MENTIONED HE HEARD
THAT THE DEPUTY SECRETARY HAD SPOKEN WITH GERMAN FOREIGN
MINISTRY POLITICAL DIRECTOR WOLFGANG ISCHINGER AND FRENCH
FOREIGN MINISTRY POLITICAL DIRECTOR JACQUES BLOT IN
BRUSSELS. GREENSTOCK REPORTED THAT HE MIGHT TRAVEL TO
WASHINGTON DURING THE END OF THE WEEK OF MAY 4, 'PERHAPS TO
BRING A MESSAGE FROM INCOMING FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK. IN
ADDITION, HE HAD TWO URGENT MATTERS - NATO AND BOSNIA - TO
DISCUSS WITH THE U.S., SO AS TO INFORM THE U.S. OF THE UK
POSITION PRIOR TO ANY HIGH-LEVEL DECISION MAKING.

7. (.&) THE DEPUTY SECRETARY REPLIED HE WOULD PASS THE

INFORMATION TO THE SECRETARY, WHO WOULD BE GRATEFUL. HE
ADDED HE BELIEVED THE SECRETARY HAD SPOKEN WITH COOK IN THE
PREVIOUS SEVERAL HOURS. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID HE

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No. C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019
CO 6 7 0 2 9 4 87IED U.S. Department of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No. C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019

-- SECRET-- 3

LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING GREENSTOCK IN WASHINGTON.

8. pH GREENSTOCK STRESSED THE IDEAS HE WOULD BE DISCUSSING

WERE HIS OWN, NOT THOSE OF COOK. NONETHELESS IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS THESE MATTERS IN DETAIL BECAUSE THE
ENDGAME WAS APPROACHING. GREENSTOCK REPORTED HE WOULD MEET
WITH COOK ON MONDAY AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS NATO.

9...401 THE DEPUTY SECRETARY RESPONDED HE LOOKED FORWARD TO

HEARING GREENSTOCK'S IDEAS. HE ADDED THAT IF GREENSTOCK
HAD ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AFTER RECEIVING DONILON'S FULL
REPORT, HE WOULD BE READY TO TALK AT ANY TIME DURING THE
WEEKEND.

10.„401 GREENSTOCK INDICATED HE MIGHT CALL THE DEPUTY

SECRETARY AT 0715 EDT ON MONDAY, MAY 5, BUT ONLY IF HE HAD
RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM COOK. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
REITERATED GREENSTOCK COULD CALL AT ANY TIME. THE DEPUTY
SECRETARY DECLARED THAT GREENSTOCK'S IDEAS WERE GOOD ONES,
AND HE HOPED COOK WOULD AGREE.

11. (U) THE CALL ENDED AT 1436 EDT.

12. (U) END TEXT.

YY

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Departrnent of State Case No. F-2017-13804 Doc No. C06702948 Date: 09/26/2019