56 



When you read your statement you inserted the word "this" 

 before "General Assembly." Was this inadvertent or was it deliberate 

 that you changed "the" to "this"? 



Mr. Popper. I am glad 3^ou caught that point, Congressman, be- 

 cause I did change it, and I have written it in there. The reason I did 

 that was this: The scope of this discussion I think is how we handle 

 the Malta proposal as it now stands — the explanatory memorandum 

 and a proposal for the Assembly. 



What I was trying to say, and I wanted to make it explicit, was 

 that we have no intention of taking substantive action on this proposal 

 at this time. We would like to leave, as I indicated in the general thrust 

 of the statement, options open for the future. I am frank to say I 

 don't know Avhat might happen 10, 20, or 30 years from now. I 

 wouldn't want to pronounce either way on a subject of this kind. 



Mr. Gross. Then you deliberately changed "the" General Assem- 

 bly to "this" General Assembly? 



Mr. Popper. Yes, sir; in the spirit I indicated. 



Mr. Gross. In the last of your statement you say, on page 7: 



We shall consult fully with the Congress with respect to any proposals the 

 U.S. contemplates making in this field. 



Will you consult with Congress before the fact rather than after the 

 fact? At what stage do you propose to consult with Congress? 



Mr. Popper. I thmk this, too, is a very 



Mr. Gross. I might add before you proceed that we have had some 

 very unpleasant experiences with some people in the State Department 

 in taking us into thek confidence after the fact. 



Mr. Popper. I should like to be quite explicit as to exactly what one 

 can and cannot do in these chcumstances. 



When you are in New York, as Congressman Frelinghuysen knows 

 from experience, and Congressman Fountain will find out, and Congress- 

 man Fascell knows, some things develop tactically in a very rapid way. 

 Obviously if we are to change a line or a word one day on a day's 

 notice to stop somethmg else happening which is worse, it simply is not 

 feasible to considt in that sense. 



What is meant here is that in terms of major substantive proposals 

 we will on this, as we do on aU major substantive proposals, consult 

 fully with the Congress before we make them. 



Mr. Gross. The chairman of this subcommittee is not one of the 

 real junketeers around this place. He is here and he has a telephone. 

 He can be reached on very short notice. He is in constant attendance 

 when Congress is in session, and I assume he can probably be reached 

 in Florida on short notice, when Congress is not in session. 



Mr. Popper. I take full note of that statement, Congressman. In 

 addition I want to point out, in the presence of Mr. Fountain here 

 this morning, that representatives of your body in the House will be 

 in New York durmg the course of this session and fully read into every 

 tactical move at every stage. 



Mr. Gross. You will agree this is a tremendously vital issue, 

 will you not? 



Mr. Popper. Absolutely. 



Mr. Gross. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Frelinghuysen. I would like to add to what ]Mr. Popper says. 

 It happens that two members of this Foreign Affairs Committee are 



