Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Western Europe, Volume III

840.00R/6–1550: Telegram

The United States Special Representative in Europe (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Paris, June 15, 1950—8 p. m.

Repsec 24. Reference Secrep 22.¹

1. Official invitation dated June 7 in form letter Marjolin to Secretary was air mailed Department June 12.²

2. Executive Committee discussed arrangements US and Canadian OEEC participation June 8. Recommendations made for consideration OSR and Canadian Embassy, Paris, were reported Repto 3159³ and included:

a. US and Canada to be represented all meetings Council and Executive Committee with informal understanding we refrain from attending when subject matter renders presence inappropriate.

b. Participation (as contrasted “observer” status) in work of technical committees will be as matter of course with no discretion in chairman to exclude US and Canada and no obligation to refrain from attendance or participation at any time.

3. OSR considers these arrangements satisfactory and according to Torep 4946⁴ Department and ECA/Washington concur. US approval was confirmed orally to Hall-Patch and Marjolin when they presented Executive Committee proposal informally to Katz today.

4. Executive Committee plans take note this exchange and US Canadian agreement June 21 and will then submit to Council at official level before June 30 for formal OEEC approval.

Pass ECA.

Harriman

1. Telegram Secrep 22, June 13 to Paris, not printed, inquired whether a formal invitation to associate with the OEEC was to be expected and, if so, when (340.240/6–250).
2. The invitation from the French Secretary General of the OEEC, Robert E. Marjolin, was transmitted to Acheson in a letter from Katz, neither printed. The invitation was in part worded: “I am instructed to invite your Government and the Government of Canada to associate themselves, on an informal basis, with the work of this Organization in accordance with arrangements to be mutually discussed” (340.240/6–750). The invitation was formally answered and accepted by Acheson in a letter to Marjolin dated June 30, not printed (340.240/6–750), transmitted in a letter of the same date to the Acting U.S. Special Representative in Europe, not printed (340.240/6–4250).
3. Not printed.
4. Torep 4946 of June 13, not printed, approved the arrangements reported in Repto 3159 above as generally acceptable and requested details as they were worked out. (ECA Telegram Files, FRC Acc. No. 53 A 278, Paris Torep. FRC Acc. No. 53 A 278 is a serial master file of incoming and outgoing telegrams of the Economic Cooperation Administration for the years 1948–1951.)