337. Telegram From the Delegation to the Conference on the Law of the Sea to the Department of State 1

785. From Dean USDel Law of Sea. Lunch with Canadian Delegation. Drew just back from London seeing Rab Butler and Lord Home. British evidently did good job selling him that three-mile limit was not nearly as important as we are trying to establish. Drew said British political officers actively selling six-mile limit which causing some confusion among our friends. Drew did not disclose present Canadian proposal and is evidently impressed with British arguments and fact Canadian military has not been impressed with three miles as affecting our joint North American set-up as distinct from our own European and Pacific operational problems. We received impression from Canadians [17 words not declassified]. Plan speak Committee One next Tuesday expounding three-mile limit and Canadians will follow Wednesday but so far don’t know their exact position. [25 words not declassified] Our relations most cordial. Wershof, their Permanent Representative here, suggested advisable I see Soviet Representative and attempt work out proposal conference can support as otherwise foresees disagreement. Arranging to have Drew see slides and selected [Page 653] charts this afternoon in effort impress them on three miles.2 Cable follows suggesting further Canadian military briefing in Washington.3

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 399.731/3–658. Confidential; Niact; Limit Distribution. Received at 3:15 p.m.
  2. Dean is referring to a slide show with maps and charts which showed the effects of changing the three-mile limit.
  3. In his next telegram, Dean reported that the Canadians were either uninformed or not impressed by the implications of extending the limit of the territorial sea and recommended that the Department of Defense discuss this with the highest levels in the Canadian Defense Ministry. (Telegram 786 from Geneva, March 6; Department of State, Central Files, 399.731/3–658)