Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1

740.5/4–1751: Telegram

The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State ¹

confidential
niact

London, April 17, 1951—2 p. m.

Depto 791. Todep 366² not recd until after mtg reported in Depto 790.³ However, on basis previous instrs, we insisted and secured agreement upon inclusion of sentence which we believe same in sense and effect as that given in Todep 366. Sentence agreed yesterday read “Deputy shall represent his Government as a whole, particularly those Mins concerned with NATO matters”. Those words make clear each deputy represents all Mins in his Govt concerned with NAT matters and his responsibility to them seems obvious corollary. Agreed sentence spells out first half of sentence in Todep 366 (which is property matter of international concern) and leaves to national determination (as wld last half of suggested sentence) how each govt establishes its lines of direction.

Strongly hope agreed sentence will be acceptable since final draft incorporating it has been referred to all govts and it wld be highly embarrassing for us to reopen it. Revised agreed minute authorized by Todep 361 and 363⁴ adopted with general satisfaction.

Spofford

1. Repeated to Paris.
2. Supra.
3. Telegram dated April 17, not printed. It reported on the discussion of various matters in the April 16 meeting of the Council Deputies, including (a) Portugal’s withdrawal of its reservations on the Canadian proposal, (b) the Deputies’ acceptance of the U.S.-Netherlands agreed minute on interpretation of political “guidance,” and (c) the Deputies’ agreement to transmit the approved text of the Canadian proposal to NATO governments with the hope of final action on April 25, if possible incorporating a paragraph on the FEB which would be discussed by the Deputies on April 23 (740.5/4–1750).
4. Neither printed.