740.5/10–151: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford), at London1
priority
Todep 213. ToISA for ECC. Re Depto 389.2
1. Off-shore procurement POLs and procedures have been under intensive discussion here between ECA, Def and State. Results so far achieved embodied ISAC D-14/3,3 gist of which being cabled today. This paper was approved ISAC mtg Oct 3. ECA/W now preparing further proposal on financial procedures. In addition, as you know, off-shore procurement magnitudes, pattern and procedures a vital element in Oct 12 reply to Pres letter4 on allocation total aid for FY ‘52, and ISAC agencies now urgently developing positions against tight deadline. ECC will of course be kept currently informed progress this matter, but no decisions likely until middle or end next week.
2. In view above, seriously concerned over plan outlined reftel. Satis progress being made here, and urgently request you do everything possible avoid premature and duplicating staff work. Development of ECC proposals which takes no acct agreements reached here will produce nothing but delay and confusion. Strongly recommend postponement consideration this subj by ECC until Wash decisions and proposals known to all members. Final decisions must of course take into acct ECC recommendations.
- Drafted by Bissell and cleared with Colonel Van Syckle of Defense; repeated to Paris for Porter and to Heidelberg.↩
- Not printed; it informed the Department of State that the ECC had formed a joint working group to deal with the question of off-shore procurement, and it requested guidelines on the subject (740.5/10–151)↩
- ISAC D–14/3, “Report of the Working Group on Offshore Procurement,” October 1, 1951, is not printed.↩
- Reference is presumably to the letter from the President to the Secretary of State, September 24, p. 284.↩