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

740.5/8–2351: Telegram

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

secret

London , August 23, 1951—6 p. m.

Depto 254. Agenda for Ottawa mtg as drafted by deps August 20 (Depto 236)² and 22 is as fols:

I. Opening address by the chmn.

II. Adoption of agenda.

III. Exchange of views on world sitn (deps will try next week to develop outline to guide discussions under this item).

IV. Discussion of activities of NATO.

(A) Report of CD to NAC, to include:

(1) Report of chairman CD.

(2) Progress report from CD.

(3) Progress report from DPB.

(4) Progress report from FEB.

(B) Statement by mil rep (SG liaison said nature of statement, if any, still uncertain).

V. Association of Greece and Turkey with West def.

VI.³ Report on status of def effort by each member country. To meet Neth apprehension that this wld involve discussion detailed burden-sharing data, deps agreed with UK that this shld be merely factual status report which wld provide basis for questioning and that fin and econ implications shld be discussed in connection with FEB report. (UK will furnish outline to be discussed by deps)

VII. NAT def plans—proposals for coordinated action by NAT agencies particularly in preparation for Oct mtg of NAC.

VIII. Future development of NATO (deps agreed that item IV shld cover past while VIII shld be directed at plans and objectives)

IX. Other business.

X. Communique.

Tentative grouping by days as fols (Todep 118⁴):

Saturday: Items I, II, III.

Monday a. m.: Item IV.

Monday p. m.: Item V.

Tuesday a. m.: Item V.

Tuesday p. m.: Item VI.

Wednesday: Item VII (conclude item V if necessary).

Thursday a. m.: Items VIII, IX, X, leaving Thursday p. m. to conclusion any unfinished business.

Thursday p. m.: Adjournment.

This shld enable def reps to cut their attendance to Tues and Wed if they so desire.

Re para 7 Todep 118, agree no advance issuing press release on suggested agenda. Article in Paris NY Herald yesterday clearly indicates someone has leaked item VII of agenda. Will not bring up issuance of press release in CD unless further word received.

Spofford

1. Repeated to Paris.
2. Not printed; it informed the Department of State about the discussion of the proposed agenda for the Ottawa meeting which took place in the Council Deputies meeting on August 20 (740.5/8–2151).
3. Items VI, VII, and VIII were later rearranged, largely as a result of discussion in the Council Deputies meetings during the weeks leading up to the opening of the Seventh Session in Ottawa. Draft item VIII was moved forward to become item VI; items VI and VII then became VII and VIII.
4. Not printed.