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

396.1 LO/5–250: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State

top secret

London, May 2, 1950—1 p. m.

Secto 76. From Jessup. Below is text of UK proposal for item 2a of tripartite ministerial agenda (NATO) reference TRI/P/9, May 1, 1950:¹

“Top secret. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is clear that the arrangements for its own organization approved by the Council at its meeting on September 17, 1949, are inadequate, and in particular that in view of the political, military and economic problems with which the signatory governments are now confronted, there is need for the Council to be so organized as to be able to meet more frequently. To this end, each member of the Council will appoint a deputy to represent him with full authority at Council meetings when he himself cannot be present. The Council at deputy level will normally meet at (blank). The Council, thus reorganized, shall be served by a secretary-general, who, though having access to governments, will be subject to the instructions of the Council and have no independent powers of his own. The Council may set up such subsidiary bodies as it finds necessary.

The first tasks of the Council shall be:

(a) To study the economic, financial and political implications of plans prepared for the defence of the North Atlantic Treaty area; to coordinate the work of the Defence Committee, the Defence Financial and Economic Committee and their subsidiary bodies; and generally to recommend to the Council the steps necessary to ensure that effect is given to such defence plans;

(b) To coordinate the foreign policy of the signatories in matters of common interest within the scope of the treaty;

(c) To study how best to promote publicity in furtherance of the objectives of the treaty;

(d) To consider how effect can best be given to article two of the Treaty.”²

[Jessup]

Douglas

1. This U.K. proposal, identified as TRI/P/9, was circulated by Shuckburgh among the delegations at the tripartite talks on May 1. For discussion of the proposal, see pp. 828 ff.
2. A tripartite subcommittee, formed during the preparatory talks in London to study the question of closer NATO association, discussed the proposals presented in Secto 57, April 30, and Secto 76, TRI/P/8 and TRI/P/9. The subcommittee’s initial revisions of the U.K. draft were described by Ambassador Jessup in Secto 84 from London, May 2, not printed. The text agreed upon at the subcommittee’s meeting on May 2, with a French reservation, was transmitted as TRI/P/10 to Washington in Secto 85, May 2, 7 p. m., not printed. This text raised questions in the Bureau of European Affairs which were in turn listed in Tosec 71 to London, May 3, not printed. On May 4 the subcommittee considered the draft text TRI/P/10. The results of this discussion were summarized in Secto 144, May 4, not printed, and were submitted to the plenary meeting of the tripartite talks on May 5. For subsequent discussion in the days prior to the NATO Council meeting beginning May 15, see pp. 828 ff. The telegrams referred to above as not printed are in Department of State file 396.1 LO/.