840.20/3–2649: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
1212. Re Deptel 1003,1 repeated Paris 916. ECC discussed reference cable and feels following comments may be useful.
Agree that mutual aid principle is problem. Neither Norway nor Italy members Western Union. Atlantic Pact not yet in effect. OEEC cannot be used as mechanism for international financial arrangements concerned with MAP. Consequently we foresee great difficulty for governments of Norway and Italy to agree, at this time, to principle of mutual aid and correlative principle financial arrangements for transfer of military equipment and supplies without disrupting inter European payment scheme. This especially true since WU is very chary at this time of idea of mutual aid to non-WU members.
Acceptance these principles in abstract and before Atlantic Pact in being would therefore seem to be asking a great deal of Italy and Norway. Presumably requests are to be made public and therefore governments would have to answer to Parliaments as to meaning and extent commitments taken.
All of above pertains with even greater strength to matter of reciprocal aid. Do not see how either country could make undefined commitment this subject before ratification Atlantic Pact.
ECC believes that if it is necessary to have definitive requests for aid from Italy and Norway, they should be on same basis as other non-WU countries to which US contemplates giving military assistance under MAP legislation. Their requests should not at this stage be predicted [predicated?] on acceptance by these countries of principles of common defense, mutual aid and reciprocal aid.
ECC believes inadvisable to press WU countries to agree that mutual aid will be extended to non-WU members of pact until after pact has become reality. Even then anticipate difficulties among others of arriving at financial arrangement for transfers on basis other than payments as reduced as possible by exchanges of finished armament or raw materials.
Sent Department 1212, repeated Paris 228 for Harriman.
- Telegram dated March 23, 1949, not printed, repeated to Paris, Rome, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Lisbon, concerning the timing and procedure of initiating arms-request discussions with Italy, Norway, Denmark, and Portugal similar to those already held with the Western Union powers. (840.20/3–2349)↩