White House Announcement of Agreement To Link Washington and Moscow by Direct Telecommunications Facilities.

TODAY (in Geneva) the representatives of the Governments of the United States and the U.S.S.R. at the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Conference signed an agreement which will establish a direct communications link between their respective capitals. This age of fast-moving events requires quick, dependable communications for use in time of emergency. By their signatures today therefore both Governments have taken a first step to help reduce the risk of war occurring by accident or miscalculation.

This agreement on a communications link is a limited but practical step forward in arms control and disarmament. We hope agreement on other more encompassing measures will follow. We shall bend every effort to go on from this first step.