Office of the Historian

250. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Canadian Ambassador (Heeney) and the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant), Department of State, Washington, April 6, 19561

Washington, April 6, 1956

SUBJECT

  • Canadian Sale of Planes to Israel

The Ambassador asked if there were a decision on our view of the proposed sale of 24 of the latest F–86 model to Israel,2 for which Mr. Pearson had asked when he saw the Secretary on March 28.3 The Ambassador said the Canadian Government would be reluctant to approve the sale unless the U.S. also were supplying defensive arms to Israel such as, for example, anti-aircraft guns. He emphasized that the Canadians were not seeking our approval for export which they wished to make. They had not yet made a decision. He mentioned that his Embassy had consulted MC in the usual way but he wished to discuss the particularly delicate political issues with Mr. Merchant.

Mr Merchant said the Canadian problem had been discussed with Mr. Allen and the Secretary. Our position was that it was of course a Canadian Government decision, but that we had no objection to the proposed sale. If questioned publicly in the event the sale were made, we would say that we were in constant touch with the Canadian Government on such matters, that this sale had been included in such consultations and that we had interposed no [Page 483] objection. As to our selling Israel defensive arms, Mr. Merchant told the Ambassador that it was not excluded that we might do this but that no decision to do so had been made as of today.

The Ambassador expressed appreciation for this information. He asked Mr. Merchant to tell the Secretary that, in these circumstances, his personal opinion was that the Canadian Cabinet would decide not to approve the proposed sale.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/4–656. Secret. Drafted by Horsey.↩
  2. According to Merchant’s memorandum of a conversation, Ambassador Heeney on April 4 informed Merchant that “the Canadian Government has now received an urgent request from the Israelis to supply 24 F–86’s … and are pressing for an answer.” Merchant informed Heeney that he “was hopeful that I [Merchant] might be able to transmit to him a reply when he comes in to see me on another matter on Friday [April 6]”. (Ibid., NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Omega—Memos, etc. from March 24, 1956 to April 23, 1956)↩
  3. See Document 227.↩