411.3131/3–552
Memorandum by the Secretary of State1
Report on NSC Meeting2
Item 4. National Security Interest in Successful Trade Agreement Negotiations With Venezuela
The President said that he assumed everybody had read the recommendation from the State Department,3 that he concurred in it fully and if there was no objection to it, it would not be necessary for me to present the matter in detail. Everyone expressed agreement and the paper was adopted. The only important observation was made by General Smith, who said he could not underline too strongly the importance of the State Department’s recommendation, and hoped that it would be followed through vigorously.
[Page 1604]After the meeting, General Smith and I talked to Mr. Lay to see whether, in the absence of a full discussion, it was fully understood that this meant that, if necessary, we could go below the peril point recommendations. Mr. Lay said that the President understood this and had said to him that we would have to do whatever was necessary. Both he and General Smith agreed to follow it through with the President, and if I see him tomorrow, I shall mention it again.
The other papers were received for information.
The President indicated to us that he hoped to be able to leave on Friday, but could not be sure until the last moment.
- Secretary Acheson is indicated as the drafting officer on the source text, but the memorandum is initialed by Special Assistant to the Secretary Lucius D. Battle; apparently circulated to Deputy Under Secretary of State Matthews, Counselor of the Department Bohlen, Assistant Secretary Miller, and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Thorp.↩
- Reference is to the 113th meeting of the NSC, held Mar. 5, 1952; a memorandum of discussion at this meeting is contained in Truman Library, Truman papers, PSF–Subject file.↩
- Supra.↩