Office of the Historian

112. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

Washington, November 7, 1964, 5:20 p.m.

3064. Pass Assistant Secretary Johnson. In response your request for guidelines for any conversation on SST that may occur in your meetings in London or Paris,2 position that U.S. should adopt has been discussed with Halaby and Boyd. Consensus is that situation is still fluid and you should be noncommittal on any possible U.S. collaboration with Concorde program, hearing out British and French without taking any particular position. At same time we believe you should be careful to avoid giving impression that door is already closed to U.S. collaboration. Subject has implications going beyond technical and financial aspects and U.S. interest is to leave issue open pending further study here and further developments in UK and France.3

FAA official Cecil Mackey, who will meet Boyd in Paris Tuesday is fully familiar with latest FAA assessment of economics of SST.

See also Deptel 2623 to Paris rptd info London 3030.4

Rusk
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Central Files, 1964–66, AV 12. Confidential. Drafted by W.E. Knight (OA/AN) and cleared by Richard G. Long (WE), J. Amstutz (OA/AL), Lieutenant General Grant (FAA), and Trezise (E). Also sent to Paris.↩
  2. The United States had been meeting with the French and British in a series of informal Tripartite Meetings on the Supersonic Transport. This was the fourth in the series; the third session had been held in Paris in June 1964. (Airgram A–3137 from Paris, June 12; ibid., AV 3)↩
  3. Bohlen reported from Paris that the British Ambassador had shared with him a message from Pompidou to Wilson: “Message stated in effect that since appears UK may not wish to go through with project French would appreciate yes or no answer on British intentions. In subsequent conversations Couve pointed out to Sir Pierson that continued shilly-shallying would permit US to close gap.” (Telegram 2957 from Paris, November 13; ibid., AV 12)↩
  4. Dated November 5. (Ibid.)↩