Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1

740.5/10–651: Telegram

The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret

London, October 6, 1951—4 p. m.

Depto 427. 1. Ref Todep 214.² At 68th mtg CD on Fr initiative directed WG to implement Ottawa infrastructure agrmt. Expect WG meet Wednesday.

2. If US does not have position by Tuesday, real danger infrastructure negots may be delayed once again as knowledge of US position wld appear indispensable to any real progress in formulating arrangements for implementing Ottawa agrmt. Delay for any reason wld, of course, prejudice SHAPE mil position, which is primary concern, but delay for such a reason wld also seriously undermine Eur confidence in CD as effective working agency in NATO setup. This consideration particularly valid in view of last summer’s long delays and eleventh hour ministerial settlement Ottawa. Nor can entirely discount possibility that Fr may act on Mayer’s repeated declarations at Ottawa that Fr wld not continue unilaterally to advance funds for infrastructure after Oct 1. Such action especially unfortunate if US alone of all member nations without instructions on administrative details for implementing substance Ottawa settlement.

Spofford

1. Repeated to Paris for MacArthur and Schuyler.
2. Not printed, but see footnote 3, p. 287.