840.20/1–1149

The American Ambassador (MacVeagh) to the Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Caeiro da Matta)1

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Aide-Mémoire

The American Ambassador had the honor to be received today by His Excellency, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the purpose of conveying to His Excellency certain messages from his Government in connection with a proposed North Atlantic Treaty.

1. The Ambassador began by saying that he was instructed to advise His Excellency textually as follows:

[Here follows a general statement on progress of the exploratory talks and basic features of the proposed treaty.]

2. After communicating the above to His Excellency, the American Ambassador then stated that he was instructed to add orally that the Treaty envisaged is designed to strengthen the defensive capability of sovereign parties in order better to assure the security of all of them against aggression from any source; that it is not to be confused with measures now being taken to promote closer political or economic integration of Western European countries; that it would in no way derogate from the full sovereignty of the parties; and that it will not be applicable to the colonial possessions of any party except through providing for consultation should they be threatened. He also added, as an expression merely of his Government’s opinion, that his Government would like to see Spain included whenever this may become politically possible, but that under present circumstances Spain’s inclusion is not politically possible for most European participants.

3. In conclusion, the Ambassador said that the above quoted textual communication, and his additional authorized explanatory remarks, were both drafted before the American Government had knowledge either of the Aide-Mémoire handed by His Excellency to the British Ambassador on December 31st, 1948,2 or of the conversation between them which occurred at that time, and that he had now been instructed to add further not only that the quoted text was drafted for presentation to each of the five Governments concerned in substantially similar form, but that the American Government is highly gratified to find [Page 20] that Portuguese thinking, as indicated in His Excellency’s Aide-Mémoire to the British Ambassador, is in such close accord with its own. Specifically with reference to the points raised in that Aide-Mémoire, the Ambassador said his Government had instructed him to inform His Excellency as follows:

(a) European Federation.

The American Government favors such measures looking toward progressively closer economic and political integration of Western European nations as they themselves think practicable, but the Atlantic Pact (as already indicated in the Ambassador’s explanatory remarks) is an entirely different project and not to be confused with such measures.

(b) Strategic Bases.

The American Government entirely agrees with His Excellency’s observations to the British Ambassador on this subject. If the North Atlantic Pact is concluded, what facilities in what countries may in future be deemed desirable to enhance the security of the North Atlantic area can only be determined in future by the consultative machinery envisaged, in which all parties would be represented. Obviously, no party could be required under the Treaty to grant facilities on its territory to all or any of the other parties without its full consent.

(c) The Question of Spain.

The American Government believes that His Excellency’s point is also covered, so far as the United States is concerned, by the Ambassador’s above-mentioned authorized oral remarks, but additionally states that the United States fully realizes the importance to Portugal of Spain and believes that non-inclusion of Spain at this time should not be a deterrent to Portuguese participation in the proposed Treaty, but rather that Portugal’s defense problems, including the Spanish element in the strategic picture, could be dealt with more satisfactorily if Portugal were a party.

  1. Handed to José Caeiro da Matta by Lincoln MacVeagh on January 10; copy transmitted to the Department of State by MacVeagh in his despatch No. 10, January 11. A copy of a parallel communication, drafted in somewhat different form, was subsequently left with the Minister by the British Ambassador. (840.20/1–1149)
  2. Text quoted by MacVeagh in his telegram 7, January 6, to the Department, not printed.