Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

790.5/4–1451

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy to the Consultant (Allison)

secret

[Washington,] April 14, 1951.

Subject: Pacific Security Arrangements

Participants:	Sir Oliver Franks, British Ambassador
	FE—Mr. Rusk
	S—Mr. Allison

[Here follows a discussion of a Japanese peace treaty which is partially summarized in footnote 4, page 979.]

In turning to the subject of Pacific Security Arrangements, Mr. Rusk referred to the United Kingdom hope, which had been previously expressed by Sir Oliver, that the United States would find it possible to work out some such arrangement without the necessity of including the Philippines in a single overall pact. The United States had given considerable thought to the British position and it had been determined that arrangements could be worked out which would in fact meet the British position. The problem of how this matter was presented, particularly to the Philippines, was one of some delicacy and Mr. Rusk explained that, in the view of the United States it would have to be approached on the basis that the United States already had heavy commitments to the Philippines as a consequence of its present base agreements. Also the fact that the long and close association between the United States and the Philippines made it clear that the United States would look upon an armed attack upon the Philippines as dangerous to its own peace and safety and would take appropriate action. However, there are no comparable commitments to Australia and New Zealand, old wartime associates, and any new arrangement devised would be designed to give the Australians and New Zealanders the same type of commitment and protection already possessed by the Philippines.¹ Mr. Rusk then gave Sir Oliver the text of a statement which it was proposed the President should issue in a few days and stated he hoped Sir Oliver would recognize the lengths to which the United States had gone to meet the British position. After reading the text Sir Oliver said he would immediately transmit it to his government and that he would make clear the real effort that had been made to bring the position of the two governments into line. He referred to the fact that his previous statement to us of the British position had been given to both the Australian and New Zealand embassies here and that he felt obligated to let them know what the United States had done and inquired whether or not there were any objections. Mr. Rusk said there were no objections but pointed out that the United States itself informed both Australia and New Zealand of its intention.² Sir Oliver said he assumed that, but he would also wish to be in touch with them. Mr. Rusk then referred to one point which was outside the text of the actual draft announcement but which would have to be discussed and settled later. That was the question of coordinated plan and action between the tripartite arrangement among Australia, New Zealand and the United States and any other regional security arrangement such as the Rio Pact or the North Atlantic Treaty. In the United States view it was considered inadvisable to attempt to coordinate planning of associations which have no real connection and also it was not possible for the United States unilaterally to commit all of the members of any of the other regional organizations on this point. Mr. Rusk said that this matter would probably cause some discussion with the Australians but that he was confident it could be worked out all right.

Mr. Rusk concluded the discussion by saying that the United States wished the United Kingdom Government to know that if as a result of its discussions with Australia and New Zealand, it appeared desirable that the United Kingdom be brought in in some way to an observer and consultant capacity with respect to the tripartite agreement, that the United States would have no objection.

1. Mr. Allison’s memorandum of a conversation held April 13 between himself, Mr. Rusk, and Sir Carl Berendsen, Ambassador of New Zealand, indicated in part that Mr. Rusk had also described to Sir Carl the approach to be made to the Philippines. (790.5/4–1351)
2. In telegram 4701 to London, April 14, the Department in part stated that it had the previous day informed the governments of both Australia and New Zealand of its decision, after consultation with the Department of Defense, to accommodate itself to the views of the United Kingdom regarding non-inclusion of the Philippines in a single overall Pacific security arrangement. (790.5/4–1351)