396.1 LO/5–350: Telegram
The Ambassador at Large ( Jessup ) to the Secretary of State
Secto 106. From Jessup. Following is text draft declaration on arms and stability referred Secto 98:1
“The Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, having had occasion to review certain questions affecting the peace and stability of the Near East, and particularly that of the supply of arms and war material to the states in that area, have resolved as follows:
- “1. The two governments are agreed that the shipment of arms or war material from the United Kingdom or the United States to any country of the Near East will be permitted only on the understanding that the purchasing country has given formal assurances of its intention not to undertake any act of aggression against any other state of the Near East.
- “2. The two governments recognize that all the states in question need to maintain a certain level of armed forces for the purposes of assuring their internal security and their legitimate self defence and to permit them to play their part in the defence of the area as a Whole. All applications for arms or war material from these countries will be considered in the light of this principle. The two governments wish, however, to reaffirm their opposition to the development of an arms race between any of these countries.
- “3. The two governments take this opportunity of declaring their deep interest in the establishment and maintenance of the peace and stability of the Near East and their unalterable opposition to the use of force or threat of force, in a manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations, between any of these states. It is their intention to use their influence both within and outside the United Nations to prevent any such development and to promote, so far as lies within their power, the peaceful settlement of any dispute which may arise in the area.”
Final paragraph still under consideration with British with view to bringing it into closer conformity our draft.2
- Supra.↩
- In telegram Secto 186 from London, May 6, Ambassador Douglas reported that during the fourth and final US–UK bipartite subcommittee meeting on the Near East, Mr. Hare inquired about the present status of British thinking on the “Arms and stability statement”. Mr. Furlonge replied that the “text had been referred to various NE posts and to” Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin “who is considering question. Meanwhile, reactions coming in from field, some of them questioning wisdom such statement” (CFM files, Lot M–88, Secto telegrams, London FM).↩