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

460.549/5–2050: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Vincent) to the Secretary of State

secret

Bern, May 20, 1950—10 a. m.

623. Excon. Re Deptel 2214 to Paris May 15, repeated Bern 577.¹ Legation concurs that US policy re Swiss problem should follow CG decision.

Owsley² and I had conversation today with Zehnder (Deputy Chief Foreign Office)³ in which he acknowledged that Switzerland was taking an active interest on the developments on export controls in Paris. I received no encouragement, however, re the possibility that Switzerland would adopt comparable measures in near future. He was inclined to minimize importance of strategic items of Swiss origin reaching east but he frankly admitted that transit trade was serious problem. I believe that thought might be given by the Department and by CoCom Paris of making joint approach to Swiss.⁴ It should be a condition precedent to such an approach, however, that countries participating CoCom can demonstrate that Western export control system would be wholly effective but for the absence of Switzerland in the line-up.

Sent Department 623, repeated information Paris 50.

Vincent

1. In early May, Switzerland made a tentative inquiry through Belgium regarding the content of the international security control export lists and the progress made by the Coordinating Committee in developing a trade control system. In the telegram under reference here, not printed, the Department of State stated that it would be desirable to have a full review of the Swiss situation at the forthcoming meeting of the Consultative Group. The Department took the position that unless there was an indication that Switzerland intended to tighten its export controls, particularly those which permitted transshipment and diversion of strategic materials, the United States might find itself in a position of recommending to the Consultative Group more severe treatment of exports to Switzerland than had been the practice until then (450.6031/5–1150).
2. Charles H. Owsley, Second Secretary in the Legation in Bern.
3. Dr. Alfred Zehnder, Chief of Political Affairs, Swiss Political Department.
4. At its meeting on May 31, the Consultative Group agreed to present information to Switzerland on export control programs; see telegram 2644, June 2, from Paris, p. 136.