Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Near East Region; Iran; Iraq, Volume XII

118. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State¹

Tehran, April 15, 1956—11 a.m.

1597. For Secretary from Henderson.² Baghdad Pact. Since arrival I have held conversations with Chapin, Gallman, Cassady, Seager, Hoar and their principal advisors concerning coming meetings of Baghdad Pact Council. Chapin and I have also had personal talks with Monckton and his British colleagues as well as with PriMin Ala. Others our group have had protracted discussions with representatives all Pact delegations. We firmly of opinion that US position here will be quite untenable and Pact itself endangered unless at early start in Council meetings I can make some definite statements of our willingness participate in activities Secretariat and committees of Pact.

We therefore recommend that I receive authorization by Tuesday morning (Tehran time) April 17 to state at appropriate time:

A. United States prepared contribute one-sixth cost of Secretariat if such cost reasonable, and organization considered sound and effective. For Secretary’s information, I estimate this contribution would not exceed $50,000. (This does not include salaries American observers in the several committees.)

B. United States prepared participate in work Economic Committee as full-fledged member that committee. (Econ Committee membership by non-member Pact specifically authorized by terms reference of Econ Committee.)

C. United States will retain observers in permanent Military and Counter-subversion Committees.

D. If desired, US willing contribute personnel to Secretariat. It is not yet clear how Secretariat will be organized and we would appreciate being given free hand now to determine how US might best participate in it. We hope US could at least have some carefully selected personnel in administrative area Secretariat. If we contribute personnel to Secretariat we may find it necessary also pay differential to them above Secretariat scale of pay. This would be addition to $50,000 maximum US contribution to general budget Secretariat. We would of course make it clear that our willingness participate in these activities would not automatically impose any commitments on our part provide funds for substantive activities of Pact; nor that we intend shift funds from bilateral to regional programs.

Chapin

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 780.5/4–1556. Secret; Niact.
2. Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration Loy Henderson headed the U.S. Delegation and served as U.S. observer at the second meeting of the Baghdad Pact Council at Tehran, April 10–19.