EUR files, lot 59 D 233, EUR subject files
No. 903
The Secretary of
State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)1
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference is made to your letter of November 18, 1953,2 requesting that the British and French be urged [Page 1931] to authorize their senior military officers stationed in Washington to enter into military conversations with General J. Lawton Collins on the subject of withdrawal of certain British and French forces from Austria.
Aide-Mémoires were handed to the French Ambassador and to a representative of the British Embassy in separate conversations on November 21, informing them of General Collins’ designation and requesting the British and French Governments to designate representatives to participate in talks with General Collins. Copies of the Aide-Mémoires and of the memoranda of conversations with the British and French representatives are enclosed for your information.3 Copies of these same papers were transmitted to General Collins on November 23.
The British Embassy had previously informed the Department by Aide-Mémoire dated November 16, a copy of which is enclosed,4 that the British Government was prepared to discuss the military implications of the withdrawal of British forces and has communicated to us informally on November 30 its Government’s willingness to designate its Standing Group representative to participate in military talks with General Collins in Paris. The French expressed their willingness to participate in the talks by note of November 27, translation of which is enclosed.4 You will note that, while both the British and French are willing to discuss the military consequences of the withdrawals, both Governments have taken the position that the decisions of their Governments to withdraw are firm and not subject to review.
I have no objection to the talks being held in Paris and assume that specific arrangements therefor will be made through military channels.
Sincerely yours,
- Attached to the source text was a covering memorandum by Bonbright to Secretary Dulles explaining its background and recommending that he sign this letter to Secretary Wilson.↩
- Not printed. (763.0221/11–1853)↩
- Not printed. Copies of these documents are also in file 763.0221/11–2153.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed.↩