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

396.1 LO/4–1750: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom ¹

secret

Washington, April 17, 1950—7 p. m.

1731. ReDeptel 1560, Apr 6.² Fol agenda tentatively agreed by UK, Fr Embs:

Fr Bilateral

1. Review and agreement on common objectives in light of current world-wide situation.

2. Franco-Amer relations. Review of mil, polit, fin and econ commitments.

3. Indochina in context of problem of SEA.

a. Mil and econ asst to Indochina.

b. Situation in SEA.

4. Strengthening Eur and No Atlantic areas.

a. NAT orgs.

b. Polit and econ integration of Eur.

c. Long-term development of econ relationships with US.

d. Germany.

5. Colonial development in Africa.

Brit Bilateral

General

1. Review and agreement on common world-wide objectives in light of assessment of our current position in cold war.

2. In framework of common objectives agreed to under 1, to determine what needs be done and in general what each of us shld undertake.

3. What are factors arising from UK–Commonwealth and sterling area ties and other UK obligations which need be taken into account in considering role UK shld play in Eur and other parts of world?

4. What shld UK–US relationship be and what roles can each play most effectively in obtaining common world-wide objectives including overcoming of present deficiencies?

5. What is best means of assuring as a corollary to above questions the continuous survey of world-wide commitments and capabilities of both partners to determine necessary adjustments?

Specific

Fol specific subjs shld be discussed within framework outlined in Points 1 thru 5 above (depending on developments and preparatory work some of the subjects listed may be dropped):

6. Western Eur and NA area.

a. NATO

b. Econ and polit integration

c. Germany’s relationship to above

7. Eastern Eur

a. General attitude towards Sov Union, incl question of mtgs, if any

b. Satellites

c. Yugoslavia

d. Trieste

8. Japan

9. SEA, especially Indochina

10. Near East, incl

a. Arms shipments to Israel and Arabs

b. Egypt

11. Subcontinent of India, especially Kashmir

12. China

13. The Colonial question

a. Brief discussion for purpose of identifying main problems on which later conversations might be conducted.

b. Econ development

c. Future of Africa

14. Libya and Eritrea

Tripartite

General

1. Review and agreement on common world-wide objectives, in light of assessment of current world-wide situation.

Specific

In framework of common objectives agreed to under item 1. what needs be done on subjs listed below?

2. Review and determination of what needs be done to achieve closer assoc of Eur and NA areas.

a. NATO

b. Eur polit and econ integration

(i) long-term development of econ relationships with US

(ii) migration

c. Germany

3. Ger Problems

4. Austrian Treaty Problems.

5. SEA

a. Indochina

6. UN developments

a. Chinese representation—Sov walkout

b. Lie’s proposal special mtg Security Council

7. Colonial question

a. Brief discussion for purpose identifying main problems on which later conversations might be conducted.

b. Econ development

c. Future of Africa

8. Gen attitude towards Sov Union. Shld there be negots and, if so, in what forums?

9. Advisability of and means of continuously reviewing worldwide commitments and capabilities and most effective manner of conducting future discussions of this nature.

New Guinea will be discussed with Brit under point 9 of Bilateral and Iran, Saudi Arabia and Palestine Relief Agency under 10. PRA also be discussed bilaterally with Fr. Ger problems enumerated Deptel 1560³ will be discussed under 3 of tripartite and Fr have indicated they will raise Law 75.⁴

Acheson

1. Repeated to Paris as 1676 and to Frankfort as 2630.
2. Not printed; it transmitted the text of a tentative agenda which, subject to minor differences, is the same as that transmitted in this telegram (396.1 LO/4–650).
3. These problems were: “1. Soviet designs in Germany and possible Western countermeasures, 2. Berlin, 3. German internal economic situation, 4. Expellees, 5. Ruhr authority, 6. Defense of Germany, 7. Ending state of war, 8. German unity.”
4. The reorganization of German coal and iron and steel industries.