751.5 MAP/8–1550: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
803. Tomap. 1. Fr Emb, Wash submitted aide-mémoire2 dated May 23 requesting US Govt pay all ocean transportation for the first phase of the Military Assistance Program, orally stated to be the entire FY 50 program regardless of date of delivery.
2. Copies of Fr aide-mémoire and our reply dated Aug 11 being airpouched to you. In summary our reply rejected Fr proposal and covered fol:
“The US Govt firmly believes that as a matter of policy Fr Govt shld, in the interests of furthering application of principle of self-help [Page 1383] and mutual aid, make arrangements to have transported at its expense approximately fifty percent ocean tonnage to be furnished on grant basis under MDAP.
US Govt is convinced that resources which it is making available for common defense NAT area can be most effectively employed by furnishing high priority mil equip from US and by assisting in financing additional production of such mil equip in the countries of its Treaty partners. To the maximum possible extent, transport of about fifty percent of ocean tonnage at expense of the recipient govt shld be assumed by other Treaty partners.
US Govt hopes Fr Govt will re-examine this problem with a view to assisting this Govt in arranging for ocean transportation of mil assistance being made available to Fr Govt under MDAP.”
3. Cleared Def and ECA.
4. Pass OSR.