There is circulated herewith for the information of the Committee the
policy on commercial sales and transfers of munitions to the other
American republics approved by the Committee at its meeting of August 1,
1947 (see M–54, p. 1, #230). Also attached is the
covering memorandum to the Under Secretary prepared for the signature of
General Hilldring as Chairman of the Committee.
[Annex]
Memorandum by the Chairman of the Policy Committee
on Arms and Armaments (Hilldring) to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson)
secret
Washington, August 4,
1947.
Subject: Arms Policy Regarding Argentina and Other
American Republics.
As Chairman, and through the Deputy Chairman of the Policy Committee
on Arms and Armaments, I reported to that Committee that you had
enunciated the policy that commercial purchases of arms, ammunition
and implements of war in the United States by the Argentine
Government are not to be limited.31
The Committee is composed of representatives of A–H, ARA, EUR, NEA, FE,
SPA and MD.
The Committee unanimously decided to request further consideration by
you of the implications arising from a complete relaxation of all
controls of commercial sales of arms to the republics of the Western
Hemisphere. The Committee directed me as its Chairman to submit to
you their position with respect to this problem.
In accordance with the Committee’s decision, I submit for your
consideration the action of the Policy Committee. Their
recommendations, as given on pages 3 and 4 of the attached brief,
were unanimously adopted by the Committee. It will be noted that the
Office of American Republic Affairs concurs in these
recommendations.
[Subannex]
Memorandum by the Chairman of the Policy Committee
on Arms and Armaments (Hilldring) to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson)
secret
Subject: Policy Regarding Commercial Transfers or
Sales of Munitions to Argentina and the Other American
Republics.
Discussion:
At the meeting of the Policy Committee on Arms and Armaments on July
25, 1947, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, informed
[Page 118]
the Committee that the
Under-Secretary had enunciated the policy that commercial purchases
of arms, ammunition, and implements of war in the U.S. by the
Argentine Government are not to be limited.
Discussion by the members indicated that it was not clear whether or
not this policy toward Argentina necessarily implied the application
of a similar policy to commercial sales of munitions to the other
American Republics. It was pointed out that, whereas prior to the
enunciation of the said policy toward Argentina, that nation was in
a more restricted position than the other American Republics (with
the exception of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Honduras)
insofar as the purchase of U.S. arms was concerned, under this new
policy Argentina would be in a preferential position vis-à-vis the
purchase of U.S. arms if a similar policy were not applied to the
other American Republics.
Paragraph 8 of SWNCC 202/2, dated
March 21, 1946, “Policy Concerning Provision of U.S. Government
Military Supplies for Postwar Armed Forces of Foreign Nations”,
states that:
“It is consistent with United States policy to support with
U.S. military supplies the armed forces of the other
American Republics to the extent necessary to effect
collaboration for the defense of the Hemisphere.”
However, in view of the position of this Government concerning the
non-compliance of Argentina with certain provisions of the Act of
Chapultepec, it has been the policy of this Government to prevent
the shipment of munitions to Argentina from the U.S. either from
surpluses or commercial sources.
Thus, on June 13, 1946, the Policy Committee on Arms and Armaments
recorded the following statement of policy on this subject:
“It is the present policy to withhold from the Argentine
Government all arms, ammunition and implements of war as
defined by the President’s Proclamation 2549,32
except for certain training and cargo aircraft.”
Subsequently, at its meeting on October 8, 1946, the Committee agreed
that there should be no change at that time in the existing policy
prohibiting shipments of arms, ammunition and implements of war to
Argentina. The view was expressed that when Argentina fulfilled its
obligations under the Inter-American agreements, there might be a
change in policy.
Further, at the meeting of the Policy Committee on Arms and Armaments
[Page 119]
on December 13, 1946
and at the meeting of the Secretary’s Staff Committee on December
20, 1946, the following was approved:
“… it is the policy of the U.S. not to authorize transfers to
foreign countries, by sale or otherwise, of military
supplies of U.S. origin unless such transfers:
-
a.
- Fall within one of the following categories: …
- 4. The interim program for the sale of
specified amounts of military, naval and air
equipment to other American Republics …” (No
interim program has been established for Argentina
to date.)
-
b.
- meet one of the following conditions:
- “1. if the transfer is determined to be
reasonable and necessary to enable a country to
maintain internal order in the reasonable and
legitimate exercise of constituted authority,
or
- 2. if the transfer is determined to be
reasonable and necessary to enable a country to
provide for and to exercise its right of
self-defense against armed attack, a right
recognized in Article 51 of the Charter of the
United Nations,33 or
- 3. if the transfer is determined to be
reasonable and necessary to assist a country to
discharge its international responsibilities for
(a) furnishing contingents
to the Security Council pursuant to Article 43 of
the Charter of the United Nations and (b) carrying out military
occupation in enemy or ex-enemy territory.”
In view of the above the Policy Committee on Arms and Armaments
concluded at its August 1 meeting that the solution to the present
problem lies either in:
-
a.
- According to Argentina the same treatment as is presently
accorded the other American Republics; i.e., participation
in the interim and long-range arms standardization programs
plus a careful review of all other proposed munitions sales
in order to determine whether or not one or more of the
above conditions is met: or
-
b.
- Applying to the other American Republics a policy similar
to that enunciated by the Under-Secretary with respect to
Argentina; i.e., lifting all restrictions on commercial
sales of munitions.
Recommendations:
Accordingly, the Policy Committee on Arms and Armaments recommends
that:
- 1.
- Argentina be accorded the same treatment as the other
American Republics with respect to transfers or sales of
arms, ammunition and implements of war.
- 2.
- With respect to all of the Latin American Republics, all
transfers or sales of arms, ammunition and implements of war
be acted upon in accordance with the criteria indicated
below and in line with the U.S. arms standardization policy
in Latin America.
[Page 120]
-
a.
- If the transfer is determined to be reasonable and
necessary to enable a country to maintain internal
order in the reasonable and legitimate exercise of
constituted authority, or
-
b.
- If the transfer is determined to be reasonable and
necessary to enable a country to provide for and to
exercise its right of self-defense against armed
attack, a right recognized in Article 51 of the
Charter of the United Nations, or
-
c.
- If the transfer is determined to be reasonable and
necessary to assist a country to discharge its
international responsibilities for (1) furnishing
contingents to the Security Council pursuant to
Article 43 of the Charter of the United Nations and
(2) carrying out military occupation in enemy or
ex-enemy territory.
Concurrences:
The Office of American Republic Affairs through its representative on
the Committee concurs in the above conclusions and
recommendations,34 as
well as the other members of the Committee representing A–H, EUR, NEA, FE, SPA
and MD.
