On 17 February Rusk had received a memorandum from Assistant Secretary of State William Bundy on the pros and cons of an early U.S. “talking initiative.” In it Bundy noted that Wilson was restive and that U Thant, as well as the Indian and Canadian governments, was agitating for negotiations. The Soviet Union, Bundy continued, likewise appeared to favor an immediate conference. The pressure was mounting on the administration to reciprocate in some way, and a U.S. initiative for talks might be necessary. Bundy reasoned that the talks would be preliminary and would last for a considerable period
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