710 Consultation 4/7–2547
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
Dear Mr. Secretary: In order to assure a concerted United States position on the issues in connection with the inter-American treaty of mutual assistance to be concluded at the forthcoming Conference in Rio de Janeiro, there are certain matters I should like to take up with you.
As you know, the United States proposals for the treaty (copy attached)48 were originally developed in consultation with the War and Navy Departments and approved by them, by Congressional leaders and by the President in December, 1945. In the past few weeks [Page 27] representatives of the three Departments have been reexamining these proposals and have reached the conclusion that, except for the point mentioned below, the previously approved draft remains satisfactory.
With respect to the voting provisions and the binding effect of decisions to take action under the treaty, the original draft provides that decisions to take action to meet an armed attack or other aggression should be by two-thirds vote and should bind only those concurring. In the light of the recently expressed views of a majority of the other American Republics that all parties should be bound and in view of our own desire to make the treaty as effective as possible, these provisions have been reexamined and we have concluded that a two-thirds decision to take action, including action of a military character under the treaty, should bind all parties, but that no state should be required to provide armed forces without its consent. It accordingly seems necessary that the treaty enumerate the various types of measures to be taken. I attach a proposed revision49 to this effect, which I understand meets with the informal approval of representatives of your Department.
I likewise refer to a communication of July 21, 1947 from the Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Armour, to the Under Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Sullivan,50 setting forth the agreed position of the three departments on the problem of the establishment of a permanent inters American military agency.
In view of the short time available for discussion of the matter with Congressional leaders whom I will wish to consult, I am informing them of these matters with the explanation that the above views have only the informal concurrence of the three departments. I would, therefore, appreciate at your earliest convenience your confirmation of my understanding that the views stated above represent the approved position of the three departments. I am transmitting a similar communication to the Secretary of War.
Faithfully yours,
- Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. ix, p. 168.↩
- Not printed, but see Report of the Delegation of the United States of America, Appendix 2, pt. 1, pp. 102–104.↩
- Not printed.↩