Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1
  4. Document 268

740.5/3–951: Telegram

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

secret
Washington, March 22, 1951—6 p. m.

Todep 320. This is State–Defense msg. Further to our Todep 2952 and re your Depto 609. We believe fol procedure shld be followed in finalizing appt Admiral Fechteler as SACLANT.

A. Further action by Deputies shld wait until approval terms of reference has been obtained from all NATO nations by Standing Group, as indicated our Todep 295.

B. Last sentence proposed res contained Todep 2393 shld be modified to read as fols:

“His powers and functions over forces when assigned to his command will be generally in accordance with D.C. 24/2 and D.C. 24/3, and will be issued separately by the Standing Group with the approval of Governments.”

Additional guidance on press release and statements will be forthcoming shortly after study uragam Usdep 13.4

Acheson
  1. Message drafted and signed for the Secretary of State by Knight and, cleared by Perkins (EUR) and Defense.↩
  2. Not printed, but see footnote 5, p. 487.↩
  3. February 6, p. 464.↩
  4. Dated March 12, containing Spofford’s latest suggestions concerning a revised press communiqué on the Fechteler appointment (740.5/3–1251). In telegram Todep 330 of March 28, Acheson informed Spofford that the Military Representatives Committee of the NAC had approved the Terms of Reference for SACLANT and had agreed to issue them to SACLANT when he was appointed. Acheson therefore recommended that the NAC Deputies be asked to finalize the Fechteler appointment (740.5/3–951). In telegram Depto 712 of April 3, Spofford reported that the United Kingdom had accepted the original wording of the first sentence of the American resolution proposed in telegram Todep 239. Spofford added that the British now urgently desired to “complete action in deputies and publicize appointment prior to Mon 9 April when expect issue white paper” and to open “defense debate in Commons.” In telegram Todep 349 of April 5, Secretary Acheson replied with pleasure to the news of British acceptance of the original American proposal, but he told Spofford he was “still desirous that for the record you shld ask UK Rep in Council Deps whether UK Govt has any remaining objection or reservation re appointment US officer as SACLANT” (740.5/4–351),↩