Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western Europe and Canada, Volume VI, Part 1

A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “Director for Mutual Security”

No. 265
Paper Prepared in the Office of the Director for Mutual Security¹

[DMS EXEC 30]

[Washington,] July 29, 1952.

Terms of References for the U.S. Special Representative in Europe and U.S. Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council

The Secretaries of State, Treasury and Defense and the Director for Mutual Security, with the approval of the President, have agreed that United States participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the coordination and supervision of the Mutual Security Program in Europe are so interrelated that they can best be carried out by designating one official responsible for both functions in Europe (including Turkey). This official (SRE) will be the U.S. Special Representative in Europe and the Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council and will have the rank of ambassador.

The SRE represents and speaks for the U.S. Government as a whole and acts basically for the President as the senior U.S. civilian representative on matters relating to the responsibilities and functions set forth below.

Responsibilities and Authorities

The SRE will:

1. Serve as the Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council and as representative or observer on other European regional organizations and activities as may be assigned by appropriate U.S. agencies and assure coordination among the U.S. elements in Europe participating in or concerned with the functioning of such organizations and activities.

2. Coordinate and supervise the Mutual Security Program activities in Europe and assure that U.S. economic and military assistance programs in Europe are effectively related, are designed to achieve the objectives of the Mutual Security Act, and are consistent with and in furtherance of established policies of the U.S.

To accomplish these, the SRE will:

3. Act for the appropriate departments and agencies in carrying out their respective responsibilities for NATO matters.

4. Act for the appropriate departments and agencies in following bilateral negotiations in Europe on matters within the purview of paragraphs 1 and 2 so as to insure consistency between the various bilateral negotiations and with overall programs.

5. Act for the Secretary of State in dealing multilaterally with European regional organizations and activities as they relate to United States foreign policy, and with the foreign policy aspects of United States assistance to the European countries to assure that the Mutual Security Program is carried out in accordance with and in furtherance of the objectives of U.S. foreign policy.

6. Act for the Director for Mutual Security in providing continuous supervision and general direction of the Mutual Security Program in Europe in accordance with the responsibilities of the Director for Mutual Security under Section 501 of the Mutual Security Act of 1951.²

7. Act for the Director and Deputy Director for Mutual Security with respect to economic, production, and financial aspects of the Mutual Security Program which are of interest to MSA and in providing representation to or liaison with appropriate European economic and regional groups. In accordance with delegations from the Director and Deputy Director for Mutual Security, he will supervise the MSA missions in Europe to the end of assuring their effective operation.

8. Act for the Secretary of Defense in Europe with respect to his Mutual Security Program activities. Within this general responsibility he will insure that the programs of military assistance are effectively related to the U.S. objectives in NATO and are coordinated with other elements of the Mutual Security Program.

There will be full coordination between the SRE and the U.S. Military Representative in Europe (U.S. MilRep). The SRE may secure advice from U.S. MilRep and other military officers designated by the Secretary of Defense or the Joint Chiefs of Staff on problems falling within the SRE’s area of responsibility.

The SRE will supervise those U.S. regional activities concerned with the multilateral aspects of defense production in Europe which are of interest to the Secretary of Defense.

9. Act for the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to his responsibilities for broad economic and financial policy questions arising in or related to European regional organizations and activities.

10. Carry out such additional responsibilities as may be assigned by the President or, when consistent with the general purposes of these terms of reference, by the appropriate U.S. agencies.

Instructions to the SRE

The SRE will receive appropriately coordinated instructions from the Departments of State, Treasury and Defense, the Office of the Director for Mutual Security and the Mutual Security Agency. Other interested agencies will participate in the formulation of such instructions as appropriate.

Reporting Channels to Washington Agencies

The SRE, in carrying out his responsibility and authority, will report to the responsible department or agency head, and, where appropriate, to the President.

Communications with Other Governments

The SRE will communicate with other governments through their NAT Permanent Representatives, through other regional representatives, or directly at the ministerial level. He will communicate at the ministerial level through or with the approval of the Chief of Diplomatic Mission. He will obtain the approval of the Secretary of State and other interested agency heads for the inclusion of any new major policy aspects contained in such communications.

Relationship to Country Teams

At the country level, the Chief of Diplomatic Mission exercises coordination, general direction and leadership of the country team concerned with the Mutual Security Program which includes the MSA mission, the Diplomatic Mission, the MAAG, and where appropriate, the Treasury Representative. The role of the Chief of Diplomatic Mission will be exercised in accordance with the provisions of Section 507 of the Mutual Security Act of 1951 and Executive Order 10338 of April 4, 1952. The Chief of Diplomatic Mission and the SRE will keep each other fully informed and will consult with each other on all matters affecting their responsibilities with respect to NATO, other regional organizations and activities, and the Mutual Security Program, including differences of opinion among members of the country team which must be resolved at higher levels. Any reference of differences of opinion to Washington under Executive Order 10338 shall be accompanied by an indication of the views of SRE. Chiefs of Diplomatic Mission will continue to receive their instructions directly from the Secretary of State on behalf of the President.

Internal Organization

The SRE will organize his office and staff in a manner best suited to meet his responsibilities as the Representative of the President and his duties on behalf of the agencies he represents. He will be responsible for providing direction, supervision and coordination to his staff, and such staff will be responsible solely to him for the performance of their duties. The SRE is authorized to call upon the Departments and agencies he represents to provide assistance in his staff.

The SRE’s staff will not be rigidly compartmented. In order to eliminate duplication between the elements of the staff, and to assure cohesion and unity of the organization as a whole, each element will draw upon the others for advice, staff assistance, and representation on national and international organizations in the area of their respective special fields.

1. A covering memorandum signed by William J. Sheppard, Executive Assistant to the Director for Mutual Security, states that “The attached terms of reference have been signed and approved by the President and are circulated for the information and guidance of the agencies and missions concerned”. The DMS EXEC series was designed to circulate information concerning administrative changes affecting the Mutual Security Program. An incomplete file is in A/MS files, lot 54 D 291, “Director for Mutual Security”.
2. For documentation on the Mutual Security Act of 1951, see Foreign Relations, 1951, vol. i, pp. 264 ff.