720.5/11–2552

Minutes of the Second Meeting of the Department of State–Department of Defense Latin American Coordinating Committee, Held in the Department of State, 3 p.m., November 25, 1952 1

top secret

Those participating in the meeting were:

  • Department of State
    • Mr. E. A. JamisonAR
    • Mr. G. O. SpencerAR
    • Mr. R. M. SayreAR
  • Department of Defense
    • Colonel Francis Hill, USA
    • Colonel S. F. Crawford, USA
    • Colonel Edward Durant, USMC
    • Colonel W. F. Lewis, USAF 2
    • Lt. Colonel J. M. Hall, USA
    • Major G. W. Williamson, USAF 3

[Here follow a distribution list, discussion of corrections to be made in the minutes of the previous meeting (Agenda item 1), and discussion of unfinished business, including the implementation of the provisions of NSC 56/2 (Agenda item 2–a).]

b. Procurement of Arms by Latin American Nations from Sources Other Than the United States.

Mr. Sayre said that as far as it had been possible to determine, the United States had not been consulted on or had prior knowledge of the reported sale by Britain of 70 jets to Brazil in exchange for cotton.

Mr. Jamison referred to the policy paper now pending on requesting NATO countries to consult with the United States before selling military equipment in Latin America and stated that the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs would not be likely to agree to a policy which would preclude Latin American countries from acquiring military equipment from non-U.S. sources until the United States was in a better position to supply Latin American requirements for military equipment.

Colonel Hill commented that while it might not be possible or advisable to attempt to discourage sales of military equipment to Latin American countries by NATO countries, he thought it might be possible to prevent NATO countries from sending missions to Latin America because the latter was usually a source of friction. He also suggested, as a possibility, that some system of consultation might be devised so that in those cases in which the United States could not supply the requirements, the Latin American Governments might be directed to a NATO country that supplied the same or similar equipment as that obtainable in the United States.

[Here follows discussion of the registration of MDAP agreements (Agenda item 2–c) and the IADB budget (Agenda item 3).]

  1. These minutes are unsigned. Minutes of a previous meeting of the group specifically identified as the Latin American Coordinating Committee were not found in Department of State or Department of Defense files; however, it is possible that the minutes of the meeting held on June 11, 1952, printed on p. 125, are the minutes of the first meeting of the committee.
  2. Willis F. Lewis.
  3. George W. Williamson.