Office of the Historian

768.56/12–150: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1

top secret
Washington, December 4, 1950—7 p. m.

3069. Dept and Defense still engaged study Tripartite paper2 in preparation for early re-examination by NSC of its report 18/4. Likely that decisions taken by NSC on policy qtns posed in Tripartite paper will be incorporated in new NSC report. Under these circumstances no approach to Yugos contemplated prior to NSC policy examination which must precede consultation with Br and Fr on Tripartite paper (Belgrade 593 to Dept Dec 1 rptd Paris 85, London 373).

Meanwhile Dept and Defense examining relation of proposed Fr Yugo sale to program envisaged in Tripartite paper and also to Fr obligations under MDA agreement. In this connection request clarification (1) re what other sales of war materiel to Yugo contemplated by Fr (Embtel 2942 Nov 244); (2) whether two jet aircraft and 4 engines referred to in item 9 of Fr list (copy recd from Brit Emb: Dept awaiting Emb Paris’ analysis and clarifications5) represent present stage of sale 10 jet trainers which were subject of Deptel 696 to Paris6 or whether they are additional to that sale; and (3) whether Fr feel that sale of all items included in list essential to conclusion gen Fr-Yugo financial settlement including pre-war debts and nationalization claims or whether, if any these items are determined to be inconsonant with Tripartite war materiel assistance program for Yugo, this settlement could still be concluded through inclusion of other items.

Acheson
  1. This telegram was repeated to Belgrade as 477 and to London as 2889.↩
  2. The reference here is to the undated report by the Tripartite Committee on Military Assistance to Yugoslavia; see the editorial note, p. 1482.↩
  3. Not printed. It stated that the Embassy in Belgrade was withholding further comment on the subject of the tripartite consideration of military aid to Yugoslavia pending reaction to the suggestions put forward in telegram 511, November 17, from Belgrade, p. 1501 (768.56/12–150).↩
  4. Not printed. It reported that the French Foreign Ministry had stated that the sale of jet trainer aircraft as well as other military equipment to Yugoslavia was being suspended pending tripartite agreement on the question of military assistance to Yugoslavia (768.56/11–2450).↩
  5. Regarding the list under reference here, see footnote 2, p. 1498.↩
  6. Not printed.↩