740.00119 Council/12–2145: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
2618. SecDel66 33. Braden met with War and Navy Depts representatives December 17 and in accordance with decision of Staff Committee67 on December 11 agreed to interim small program for equipping ground and air forces of several of the other American republics from surplus stock in United States. Offer will be made in near future to Latin American countries concerned, equipment in each case being sufficient for small unit, varying with size of country, for infantry, artillery and air forces. For air forces equipment at present includes only cargo and training planes, question of combat planes still being discussed with War Dept.
It remains our policy to restrict arms shipments to Latin America and avoid any armaments race. Subject to these commitments it is therefore still desirable for you to discuss with British FonMin68 possibility of arriving at understanding whereby United Kingdom would cooperate with us to avoid competitive arms race.
- Designation used for telegrams addressed to the Secretary of State or his delegation in attendance at the Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers, December 16–26, 1945. For documentation see vol. ii, pp. 560 ff.↩
- Secretary’s Staff Committee.↩
- Ernest Bevin.↩