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

740.5/2–2351: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Gifford) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret
priority

London, February 23, 1951—7 p. m.

4600. In accordance with telephone instruction received by Holmes I saw the Prime Minister² this afternoon and opened discussion with reference to the location of NATO civilian agencies and OEEC. Spofford accompanied me. I outlined the substance of Todep 253, February 16 [15],³ stating that of the alternatives which had occurred to the US only first and second seemed workable and US was inclined to favor first, i.e., concentration of NATO civilian agencies in Paris. I made clear, however, that we wished to exchange views with HMG on whole problem and hoped we might be able to reach common position in the matter.

Prime Minister said that Cabinet had not formally considered question but that he had already asked for views and would be in a position to discuss the matter further with us promptly. I left with him an aide-mémoire⁴ based on my telegraphic instruction.

To avoid press speculation we agreed that we would state to press that subject to [of] our conference had been NATO economic problem.

Gifford

1. Repeated to Paris for Katz.
2. Clement Attlee.
3. Ante, p. 43.
4. Not found in Department of State files.