Andrei Gromyko

In the 17th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Andrei Gromyko, Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Soviet Union, provides opening statements to the press on foreign policy. A question and answer session follows

In the statement, read by a translator, Gromyko asserts that the ultimate goal of the Soviet Union is peace and disarmament as opposed to the United States' foreign policy which "tramples the United Nation's charter into the dirt." Blame is placed squarely on the US for "whipping up" the arms race and interfering in the decolonization of the Congo and Vietnam. This attack on the "peaceful co-existence of governments with different social systems" is also related to an impending peace treaty with Germany as well as the Cuban revolution and attempts by the US to block trade. He speaks to the resilience of the communist doctrine in the face of these attacks and asserts that the Soviet Union does not impose its doctrine on other countries.

During the question and answer session, the recording skips between two translators and Gromyko.

Gromyko responds to questions regarding measures towards disarmament, relations with China, military presence in Japan and India, and activities in Cuba and Berlin. The complete question and answer session is not recorded.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 150274
Municipal archives id: LT9473