314. Memorandum of Conversation0
FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING
Washington, April 12–14, 1960
SUBJECT
- Sky Shield Exercise (North American Air Defense Command)
[Here follows the same list of participants as Document 311.]
Mr. Merchant inquired as to whether any difficulties were foreseen on the Canadian side in approving Sky Shield (a large-scale air exercise to test the defenses of the North American Air Defense Command— NORAD). Mr. Green did not think there would be any difficulties, but he could not say with certainty.
Mr. Merchant mentioned that he had expressed yesterday to Mr. Green at lunch,1 disappointment upon learning that the NORAD briefing team which would be going to Ottawa to give high level orientation regarding Sky Shield would not be able to brief Mr. Green or most other Cabinet officers, but be confined largely to top Canadian military officials and the U.S. Ambassador. The Secretary also expressed his disappointment on the same grounds. Mr. Merchant reminded Mr. Green that Sky Shield had been discussed at Camp David in November at the U.S.-Canada Ministerial Meeting on Joint Defense2 and that the agreed procedure was for Government consultation and then the issuance of a press release in May.
Mr. Green expressed regret that most of the members of the Cabinet would be unavailable for the briefing because they would be away from Ottawa for the Easter holidays.
- Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Secret. Drafted by Carlson and approved in M on April 22 and in S on April 25. The meeting was held in Secretary Herter’s office. See also Documents 311–313 and 315.↩
- A memorandum of this conversation (US/MC/1) during which Germany, Berlin, and the law of the sea were also discussed, is in Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 559, CF 1624.↩
- See Document 308.↩