857D.20/9–3048: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Paris
top secret
Washington, October 1,
1948—5 p. m.
Telmar 29. Urtel 5130, Sep 30. For the Secretary. Memos our talks with Nor and Den Embs airmailed you and should have reached you by now. We emphasized purpose was bring their Govts up to date on trend of developments in our talks with Brussels Treaty Govts in view Nor and Den previous interest and so they could think about matter, but no other action desired of them now. We do not contemplate further discussions soon in sense Lange seems to expect.
Suggest following as basis your replies Lange’s questions:
- (a)
- We will not know about future time table until we have comments of Brussels Treaty countries probably late Oct. It is all right for Nor and Den to continue Scand talks but Brit and we will certainly wish to talk further with them before Feb. If Atlantic arrangement is to be consummated, treaty should be presented early as possible in Session as basis for legislation and appropriations for military assistance. Provided it contained no impediment to Nor and Dan cooperation with West for defense, Scand defense arrangement would be asset and valuable supplement to Nor and Dan participation in Atlantic arrangement. We would welcome eventual Swed participation in latter if and when Swed prepared participate.
- (b)
- We told Nor on Sep 28 we could not offer advice on question informing Swed of our conversations.1 It would seem preferable to delay doing so for present. Only Brit and Can yet know we have told Nor and Den anything. More appropriate time would be after Brussels [Page 259] Treaty countries have jointly considered Atlantic arrangement when presumably we can discuss it more fully and freely.
Lovett
- The discussion of this matter by Hickerson and Ambassador Morgenstierne was covered in a memorandum of conversation by Hickerson dated September 29, not printed (840.00/9–2948).↩