710.J/4–2048: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State at Bogotá
Telmar 93. For the Secretary’s eyes only. Talks on Atlantic security with British and Canadians which you authorized shortly before your departure resulted in agreed recommendations, subject to bipartisan approval here, for negotiation of regional defense agreement for North Atlantic area generally along basic lines of Rio treaty. Forrestal and NSC consultants have approved it.1 With President’s approval I have had two long talks with Vandenberg and have his substantial agreement to following procedure subject to your approval and final clearance by President.
- 1.
- Foreign Relations Committee to report out resolution stating inter alia sense of Senate that “measures to strengthen the United Nations and increase the security of the free nations should include the progressive development of regional arrangements for the maintenance of international peace and security as provided for in the Charter” and that “the US is prepared to consider association, on the basis of self-help and mutual aid, with such mutual regional arrangements as affect its national security.”
- 2.
- The President subsequently to announce issuance of invitations to U.K., France, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Eire, Italy and Portugal to a conference to conclude regional defense agreement for the North Atlantic area (to be presented for ratification at next session). He would announce US conception of such agreement as being based on Art. 51 of Charter and designed to strengthen UN; generally following basic lines of Rio; designed to strengthen determination of free nations to resist aggression and increase their ability to do so; each party determining for itself whether act of aggression had occurred and measures it would individually take until collective action agreed. He would include [Page 97] reference to desirability of additional free Western European nations adhering to Brussels treaty an expression of willingness to participate in military conversations with parties to it concerning coordinating military production and supply. President would include declaration of US intention, in light of obligations assumed by signatories of Brussels 5-Power treaty and pending conclusion of Atlantic Agreement, to regard an armed attack on signatory of Brussels Treaty as attack on US to be dealt with under Art. 51, US to determine whether attack had occurred and what steps US would take. Declaration would be so phrased as to avoid inviting aggression against any other free country in Europe.
- 3.
- Simultaneously similar but less categoric Anglo-American Declaration of intention would be issued with respect to possible armed attack against Greece, Turkey or Iran.
President’s declaration would necessarily be preceded by discussions with British, French and Benelux representatives here (which would be those envisaged in your reply of March 25 to Bidault and Bevin and for which Bidault is so anxious) to outline above procedure and secure their agreement to adherence of Scandinavians, Iceland and Italy to Brussels treaty, and by inquiries to these and other Atlantic area Governments as to whether they would accept invitation to negotiate such Atlantic agreement.
French and Benelux have not been advised of US, British and Canadian talks or subsequent developments due to danger of leakage before final clearance. I hope it will be possible to talk to them next week in view both of Bidault’s anxiety and need for subsequent approaches to other Atlantic nations before Foreign Relations Committee acts.