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

740.5/9–2051: Telegram

The United States Delegation at the Seventh Session of the North Atlantic Council to the Acting Secretary of State¹

secret   priority

Ottawa, September 20, 1951—7 p. m.

Secto 32. NAT mtg concluded 4:15 p. m. after fol action today:

1. Adopted res recommending to govts they undertake steps necessary to enable invitation be issued Greece–Turkey accede to NATO. Council also took note of protocol which deps wld shortly sign to accomplish steps required bring about accession.²

2. Adopted final communiqué including announcement council agreed recommend to govts that Greece–Turk be invited accede.³

3. Adopted res under item VI (future development of NATO) on NAT community.⁴

4. Adopted res on item IV requesting certain action by NATO agencies fol up reports presented to this session.⁵

5. Council took note under item IV (other business) of agreement on infrastructure. It also agreed to Nor suggestion that CD study and recommend procedures to restrain leakage council business to press during mtg.

6. Re implementation item VIII (wise men res) council decided that if countries had not designated reps, substitute cld attend first mtg which wld be held Paris earliest possible time.

7. In view statement by Morrison that regardless outcome elections UK cld not participate mtg late Oct, council decided arrange date for Rome mtg thru CD.

8. Van Zeeland turned chairmanship over to Pearson of Canada at end of mtg.

Highlights of debate were as follows: Prior adoption res upon future development of NATO Mayer of France suggested amendment emphasizing promotion stability and well-being through NATO and other agencies during rearmament period. Fol debate in which Acheson pointed out this item supposed to relate to long term measures, amendment was modified decreasing somewhat emphasis on measures for purposes economic improvement and indicating these shld be applicable both during rearmament period and thereafter.

Before adoption item IV res calling on NATO agencies for certain reports to next council mtg Pace in accordance position previously taken proposed amendment to provision which implied DFB cld take steps integrate defense production programs only after adoption by member countries. Council accepted amendment indicating DPB cld endeavor integration during formative period such programs.

(Text docs adopted by council being reported separately; also for additional info re Greece–Turk see separate tel.⁶)

As CD cld not conclude procedural aspects Greece–Turkey admission before lunch, council resumed discussion this item after lunch.

On the communiqué, language was provided covering the agreement on infrastructure and after some debate it was agreed to retain the term “infrastructure” in the communiqué. Pace made point NATO criticism in important US quarters has centered on purported failures infrastructure problem so that report of progress shld make positive reference using this term. Text communiqué pouched separately.⁷ Chairman congratulated everyone and adjourned the seventh session of the council.

1. Repeated to The Hague, Paris, Oslo, Copenhagen, London, Rome, Brussels, and Frankfurt.

2. The draft resolution concerning the accession of Greece and Turkey to NATO was circulated as Council Document C7–D/23 (Revised) of September 20; the protocol that accompanied it was circulated as Council Document C7–D/25 of September 20. Both the resolution and the protocol texts were transmitted to the Department of State once they were approved; see telegram Secto 31 from Ottawa, September 20, p. 689.

   For a more detailed account of the discussion concerning the accession of Greece and Turkey which took place in the Council, see telegram Secto 33 from Ottawa, September 20, infra.

3. For text of the final communiqué see p. 691.
4. This resolution was circulated as Council Document C7–D/18 Final, “Future Development of NATO, Other Than in Connection with Defense Plans”; the text of the resolution as adopted by the Council was transmitted to the Department of State in telegram Secto 29 from Ottawa. September 20, p. 687.
5. This resolution was circulated as Council Document C7–D/21, “Draft Resolution with Respect to Item IV of Agenda” of September 19; the text of the resolution as adopted by the Council was transmitted to the Department of State in telegram Secto 28 from Ottawa, September 20, p. 686.
6. The telegrams referred to here are accounted for in footnotes 2–5.
7. The text of the communiqué was transmitted to the Department of State in telegram Secto 30 from Ottawa, September 20, which is not printed. For the formal text, as presented to the press on September 21, see p. 691.