Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

Under Secretary’s Meetings: Lot 53 D 250: Minutes¹

Record of the Under Secretary’s Meeting, November 15, 1950²

[Extract]

secret
UM M–269

[Washington, undated.]

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East-West Trade

3. Mr. O’Gara reviewed the current work on the East-West trade problem. He pointed out that Commerce has agreed to an interim position with respect to what items may be shipped to Western Europe and the Soviet bloc. At the present time the State Department is working with Commerce and ECA on this problem and we hope to complete our discussions soon for a report to the NSC.³ He emphasized that it was important that Commerce action should not interfere with negotiations that are now taking place with the British and French on I–A and I–B items. The Secretary reported that Mr. Sawyer had talked to him yesterday and had agreed with the State Department proposals with the exception of the one involving an additional committee to review these items. Mr. Sawyer felt that we had an interdepartmental group, the Advisory Committee on Requirements, to handle this work.⁴ The Secretary questioned whether the setting up of an additional interdepartmental committee was necessary. Mr. O’Gara stated that this was the main problem which State was now negotiating with Commerce. He felt that an additional committee was required since Commerce rigidly controls the Advisory Committee on Requirements.

4. Mr. McFall⁵ pointed out that Congress will be very interested in our progress on this problem and we should be prepared to give the Congress a complete report. The Secretary was disappointed in the fact that the negotiations in Europe had been delayed. He questioned whether we could do anything to move the negotiations along and Mr. O’Gara promised to investigate.

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1. Lot 53 D 250 is a master file of records of meetings, documents, summaries, and agenda of the Under Secretary’s Meetings for the years 1949–1952, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State.
2. The principal officers of the Department of State (or their alternates) met frequently, generally several times a week and usually under the chairmanship of the Under Secretary of State, in an “Under Secretary’s Meeting” to discuss major current problems. The meeting recorded here was attended by Secretary of State Acheson. The authorship of the record is not indicated.
3. For the agreed interim procedure under reference here, see NSC 91/1, November 17, infra.
4. No other record has been found of the conversation under reference.
5. Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations Jack K. McFall.