Office of the Historian

740.5/6–1851: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford), at London1

confidential
niact
priority
Washington, June 18, 1951—5 p. m.

Todep 528. Re Depto sent as 1133, Jun 18.2 You may sign NATO Forces Agreement without reservation. Dept informed through Canad Emb Washington that Wilgress is being instructed to sign tomorrow also without reservation (Depto 1133). No statement will be made by either country.

FYI only, we informed Canads Sat that we wish, in effect, to exclude US forces on Newfoundland bases from application of NATO Status Agreement under Art I(a) pending further discussions.3 Note has been received from Canad Emb this morning stating that Canad willing sign 19th without reservation and to discuss US request. Note adds that if bilateral agreement not reached by time Canad files ratification, Canad will feel bound to make reservation at that time.4 Bilateral discussions will take place in Washington or Ottawa in near future.5

Acheson
  1. This telegram, which was repeated to Paris for MacArthur, was drafted by Fessenden of EUR/RA and Haselton of BNA and was cleared by Assistant Secretary of State Perkins, Barringer of Defense, and Yingling of L/EUR.↩
  2. Not printed. It asked for instructions for the scheduled signing the next day of the NATO status-of-forces agreement in view of the possible Canadian reservation. Regarding the status-of-forces agreement, see the editorial note, infra. Regarding the Canadian question on the application of the agreement to the bases in Newfoundland, see footnote 4, p. 176.↩
  3. Summarized here is a Department of State memorandum handed to the Canadian Ambassador on June 16 (740.5/6–751).↩
  4. Summarized here is a Canadian Embassy memorandum of June 18 (740.5/6–1851).↩
  5. United States-Canadian negotiations were carried on throughout the remainder of 1951 and eventuated in an agreement relating to the application of the NATO status-of-forces agreement to U.S. forces in Canada, including those at the leased bases in Labrador and Newfoundland, effected by an exchange of notes of April 28 and 30, 1952. For the texts of the exchange, see TIAS No. 3074, printed in 5 UST (pt. 3) 2139.↩